Priest who hit 13-year-old girl arrested in Mandaue

CEBU CITY — A 61-year-old priest was arrested after he allegedly hit a 13-year-old girl inside a convent in Mandaue City.

Fr. Decoroso Olmilla, the parish priest of the Nativity of Mary Church in Barangay Canduman, is being charged for violation of Republic Act 7610, or the Special Protection of Children against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act.

PO1 Jinelyn Formentera of the Canduman police’s Children and Women Protection Desk, said the girl is the daughter of the priest’s cook in the convent.

Police said last Wednesday night the girl arrived at the convent after joining her friends in caroling.

Olmilla scolded the girl for failing to feed his dog on time. He then hit the girl with a cardboard and kicked her, police said.

A concerned citizen reported the incident to the police, who went to the convent on Thursday morning and arrested the priest.

Olmilla, who did not resist arrest, refused to comment on the accusation.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma has relieved Olmilla from his pastoral duties.

“I felt sad when I heard about the incident. I am apologizing to the family of the girl and to the community if this caused some sadness and shock,” said Palma in an interview Thursday.

He appointed Msgr. Danilo Sanico, the vicar general of the Archdiocese, to temporarily replace Olmilla.

The archbishop also formed a team to investigate the incident. The team is composed of Msgr. Sanico, Fr. Sherwin Ferrater, a canon lawyer, and Msgr. Raul Go, the archdiocese's judicial vicar.

Palma said the team will make recommendations such as the possibility of providing lawyers not just to Olmilla but to the girl’s family as well.

“We are assuring the public that we will not stand in the way of the investigation. Whatever comes out in the investigation, we will follow the law. We will let the justice take its course,” Palma said.