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Filipino priest in US facing rape charges barred from ministry – CBCP

Filipino priest in US facing rape charges barred from ministry – CBCP

By AJ Siytangco

By Leslie Ann Aquino The Filipino Catholic priest who is facing charges of rape and sexual abuse of a minor on the US East Coast has long been barred from his priestly ministry since 2018. According to a CBCP News post, Armand Garcia, 49, was placed on administrative leave since March 2018 after police notified the Philadelphia archdiocese of their investigation.

This photo provided by the Philadelphia Police Department shows Armand Garcia. (Philadelphia Police Department via AP / MANILA BULLETIN)

This photo provided by the Philadelphia Police Department shows Armand Garcia. (Philadelphia Police Department via AP / MANILA BULLETIN) Since then, the Philadelphia priest has been living in a private residence with no access to any parish or school. Garcia was briefly behind bars on March 4 for alleged crimes committed between 2014 and 2017. He turned himself in to authorities on Monday and reportedly posted 10 percent of his US$250,000 bail. Kenneth Gavin, chief communications officer for the Philadelphia archdiocese, said the charges against Garcia are serious and disturbing. He added that the archdiocese cooperated with law enforcement during the course of the criminal investigation that has been ongoing for the past year. “The archdiocese remains fervently committed to preventing child abuse as well as protecting the children and young people entrusted to its care,” Gavin said. The church official said Garcia had cleared all criminal background checks as well as child abuse clearances and completed “safe environment” training courses. Garcia was ordained a priest for the Philadelphia archdiocese in 2005. The priest was serving as pastor at St. Martin of Tours parish in the city’s Summerdale section when the allegations were raised. He was transferred to the said post from the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Roxborough in November 2017.

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