THE priest who was caught taking a 13-year-old girl to a motel was released after posting a 120,000-peso bail, police said Wednesday.
Marikina Police Chief Roger Quesada said Msgr. Arnel Fuentes Lagarejos, 55, was facing charges of human trafficking after allegedly attempting to have sex with a teenager he was about to meet through a pimp, who was also a minor.
He said Chief Supt. Romulo Sapitula, head of the Eastern Police District, had ordered a thorough investigation of the case following reports that the priest had already met with the minor twice and had sex with her once.
Quesada made his statement even as the Catholic Church hierarchy said Wednesday there would be no cover-up in the investigation of Lagajeros’ case.
The Catholic Diocese of Antipolo said it was taking all necessary actions provided under canon in Lagarejos’ case.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines is conducting a separate investigation of the case.
“The diocese makes it clear that it will not in any way condone or abet the trafficking of persons or protect the offenders from prosecution,” the diocese said.
Separately, a Catholic priest said Wednesday Lagarejos was entitled to due process and the presumption of innocence.
“If he were truly innocent, he can look at his accusers straight in the eye and prove their allegation false,” said Anton Pascual, president of Radio Veritas and executive director of Caritas Manila.
He said he personally knew Lagarejos and had the chance to work with him and help several of his parishioners.
He said Lagarejos was kind and close to members of his congregation.
Metro Manila police chief Oscar Albayalde said Lagarejos was booked for trafficking and not rape because there had been no intercourse yet.
But he said a rape case could still be filed by the minor’s parents, the Department of Social Welfare and Development or the Philippine National Police.
“The victim is a minor,” Albayalde said.
Lagarejos has been stripped of his duties as parish priest of St. John the Baptist Parish and as president of the Cainta Catholic College.