Vizcaya bishop retains embattled priest

BAGABAG, Nueva Vizcaya — Bayombong Bishop Ramon Villena saved the neck of this town’s parish priest yesterday by retaining him despite calls by a group of parishioners for his ouster for alleged corruption and other "unchristian" acts.

"I want (Msgr. Emilio Vicente Tugadi) to stay put as parish priest (of Bagabag). I believe that he has done a lot and can still do a lot (for the parish)," Villena said in a statement read by Fr. Vic Tiam, spokesman of the diocese, after yesterday’s Mass here.

Villena made the move upon the recommendation of a "board of consultors" he had formed to look into Tugadi’s case.

The bishop expressed confidence in Tugadi’s integrity and leadership, saying the parish priest did not commit any serious violations of Church and government laws to warrant his transfer.

Villena appealed to Tugadi’s critics "to stop the circus," saying the priest "has suffered so much."

"Please address any reaction to (the decision) to your bishop. Please remove the focus (on) Msgr. Vic Tugadi… he (has) suffered so much," the bishop pleaded.

Villena’s decision has disappointed Tugadi’s critics who vowed to step up their protest actions until the priest "leaves the parish."

Francis Cabe, one of the leaders of the group calling itself the Christian Herald Against Lavish, Incompetent and Corrupt Ecclesiastics (CHALICE), said Tugadi’s continued stay will only create further animosity among the parishioners

Bagabag Vice Mayor Nestor Sevillena advised the local Church leadership to transfer Tugadi "to save the unity of the Catholics here."

He lamented that the parishioners are now "highly divided" because of the controversial priest.

CHALICE has demanded for Tugadi’s transfer due to what it claimed were his alleged refusal to account for expenditures of the parish and for his alleged arrogance and ostentatious lifestyle.

Earlier, Tugadi vowed not to leave the parish, saying he would fight "misrepresented" church members calling for his ouster, to the end.

"If they want to remove me, they have to kill me," he said, describing the charges against him as "merely fabricated, baseless and malicious."