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A controversial ex-monk has to face trial in court for allegations of sexually molesting a former colleague in Marian Monks of the Eucharistic Adoration (MMEA) of Lindogon, Simala town, Cebu.
The Cebu Provincial Prosecutor Pepita Jane Petralba approved the recomendation of handling prosecutors to indict Venancio Cabillon for acts of lasciviousness before the Regional Trial Court (RTC).
She said Cabillon admitted having a sexual relationship with fellow monk Evert Lloyd Ugay. He also claimed it was mutual.
Ugay, also known as Frater Basil Mary of MMEA, however denied Cabillon's claim.
The prosecutors also noted Ugay's move to report the incident to their superior a day after an incident in which he claimed Cabillon touched his private parts while they were inside the monastery.
Ugay said Cabillion did the act twice.
The first time was on Sept. 15, 2000 when Ugay was still 17 years old and had just joined the community.
He said Cabillon, who was then his novice master or formator, asked him about sexual matters.
Ugay said he nearly came to blows with Cabillon after the monk touched his privates.
The second incident occurred last Dec. 31 while he was sleeping inside the monastery, according to Ugay.
Meanwhile, the Prosecutors' Office indicted another monk Abelio Mangila, also known as Frater Martin Mary, who was accused of forging the signature of Cabillon to make it appear that Cabillon signed a receipt acknowledging custody of some religious items.
The office, however, dismissed the charges of perjury against Mangila and eight other individuals for lack of jurisdiction as the incident happened in either Cebu City or Hilongos town in Leyte province.
On October last year, Cabillon filed a libel case against Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal and three Cebu church officials for allegedly maligning him in a notice of separation published in the Bag-ong Lungsoranon, the Cebu Archdiocese?s official publication.
The case was dismissed for lack of probable cause last April.
