Anton C.

Onato
2013-78862
J 199 WYZ

Working Title:

Wolves in Shepherds’ Clothing: An investigation on Clergy’s Alleged Misconduct and

CBCP’s Pastoral Guidelines on Sexual Abuses and the Philippine Child Protection Laws

Research Problem and Objectives

As a part of one of the most influential institution in the world, the Philippine Catholic Church is
often in gray area when it comes to alleged sexual misconduct of its clergy. Recently, however,
Manila Archbishop Antonio Tagle spoke strongly against these misconducts and urged the public
to be vigilant. He had strong pronouncements against the misconduct of his shepherds in the
vineyard and made it known that he is willing to talk about it if anyone would investigate and
sought-after alleged erring priests.

This study poses the question, “How do the laws of the Holy See impact the local Roman Catholic
church in the Philippines and compromise Philippine laws that seek to protect children who are
abused by clergies?” In an attempt to answer this question, the study aimed:

1. To shed light to current unreported/underreported abuse of clergies in some Dioceses

of the Philippine Catholic Church (Legazpi, Sorsogon, Manila, among others)
2. To prove that the church is doing something to cover up issues regarding sexual abuses
committed by clergies
3. To determine if these alleged erring priests get away with the crime and the law
4. To determine if the church indeed is silencing the victims not to speak up regarding the
bad experience they had with a clergy
5. To determine the extent of the church’s influence with these kinds of allegations and
how they discipline their erring priests, and if not how the church covers up and thus
tolerate such acts
6. To determine if the erring priest undergo any treatment or any counselling to help him
overcome his sexual desires
7. To analyze the silence of the church in issues surrounding the hypocrisy of the
institution
8. To know if there are existing laws that protect the rights of the abused children by
clergy