Holy inappropriate behaviour in a church
Former councillor admits that he was ‘under the effects of alcohol’ during the Easter event
A COUNCILLOR in Elche has resigned, admitting ‘out of place behaviour’ inside a church while he was ‘under the effects of alcohol’, but denying that he engaged in any act of a ‘sexual nature’.
The now ex-councillor for security, human resources and sport, José Navarro – from the Partido Popular (PP) – was thrown out of El Salvador parish church in the city during Holy Week by an Easter brotherhood which was preparing for the Friday of Sorrows procession.
The Santísimo Cristo de La Columna brotherhood said they had accepted his resignation from their group, saying he had entered showing ‘signs of drunkenness’ and ‘behaved indecorously’, without specifying any details.
Last Wednesday, Sr Navarro issued a statement denying reports in some media and on social networks which claimed he had intimate relations with a woman underneath the procession float.
“I have lodged an official accusation against those who have spread this rumour, which I deny and about which there is no proof,” he said.
He apologised to his family, his brotherhood, his colleagues on the council and ‘everyone who knows me’, explaining that ‘I went there with a group of friends and from a celebratory
dinner under the effects of alcohol’. He also expressed his repentance to the church and ‘totally disassociated’ his behaviour from the mayor and the rest of the Partido Popular (PP)-Vox coalition council.
Although the council initially dismissed the incident as ‘a private matter’, Sr Navarro’s resignation was announced last
Friday by mayor Pablo Ruz and Vox councillor Aurora Rodil.
The mayor said Sr Navarro ‘now has to defend his honour and his good name, which many have self-righteously and maliciously taken it upon themselves to stain and discredit’. He refused to be drawn on questions from the press about any possible sexual misconduct, saying they were only evaluating what Sr Navarro had admitted: “Anything else is slander and a serious government does not talk about slander.”
The Vox councillor said that, as a Christian, she would ‘never condemn anyone or point the finger of accusation over private matters’.
Sra Rodil also called on ‘the Mother of heaven and Jesus, in their immense mercy, to protect him, his family, his parents and the whole government so that we can carry on working as we have until now’.
Sr Navarro later admitted that he had been through some ‘complicated days’ as a result of the defamation.
On Monday, city hall announced that José Antonio Román Benticuaga would take office as the new PP councillor at the full council meeting on April 29.
Until this happens and Sr Navarro’s responsibilities can be reassigned, and they have been provisionally passed to Juan de Dios Navarro.