Priest rejects bill repealing crime offending religious beliefs

Fr. Jerome Secillano of the Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro Parish in Sampaloc, Manila, said not penalizing those who attack any church or religion is unwise and discourteous to the latter. (File Photo: PTV via PNA)

MANILA — A Catholic priest on Tuesday expressed opposition to the proposed measure in the House of Representatives, which seeks to repeal the crime of offending religious feelings.

Fr. Jerome Secillano of the Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro Parish in Sampaloc, Manila, said not penalizing those who attack any church or religion is unwise and discourteous to the latter.

“Taking away the penalty for such violation will only embolden imprudent and disrespectful actions against any church or religion,” he said in a statement.

“The proposal simply doesn’t make sense. That provision guarantees the free and peaceful exercise of one’s religion without fear or interference from external forces,” he said.

On Tuesday, Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman filed a bill seeking to revoke the penalty on the crime of offending religious feelings.

House Bill (HB) No. 5170, was filed to repeal Article 133 of the Revised Penal Code on offending religious feelings.

“If Lagman wishes to honor Mr. (Carlos) Celdran, he can do it in many ways. But, it shouldn’t be something that will undermine religious institutions or practices in the process,” Secillano said.

Celdran was found guilty of violating the law by a Manila court in September 2013 for staging an impromptu protest at the Manila Cathedral three years earlier.

If passed into law, Lagman’s bill would have a retroactive effect, which means that all pending criminal cases and related civil cases for violation of Article 133 would be dismissed.

In August 2018, the Supreme Court affirmed the guilty verdict of the Court of Appeals on Celdran and ordered him to go to jail.

The well-known tourist guide has left the country and reportedly moved in self-exile to Madrid, Spain, where he died on October 8, 2019, at the age of 46.