Negros town officials ask bishop to relieve 2 priests

BACOLOD City, Philippines – The municipal council of Murcia in Negros Occidental has passed a resolution asking Bishop Vicente Navarra of the Diocese of Bacolod to relieve the town’s two priests for allegedly besmirching the image of the municipality.

In the resolution, the municipal council called for the ouster of Fr. Greg Patiño and Fr. Agustin Hinayan, parish priest and assistant priest, respectively, of Murcia’s Immaculate Concepcion Parish for allegedly projecting that the town has become a haven of illegal drugs and illegal gambling.

The resolution was submitted to the Bishop’s House on Tuesday.

Sought for reaction, Patiño said he and Hinayan were just doing their moral obligation to the parishioners.

He added that people with a normal mind should not react to their condemnation of acts such as the proliferation of illegal drugs and illegal gambling in the town.

“We are like sheep among the wolves,” Patiño said, adding that they will remain strong against the “wolves.”

Murcia Mayor Andrew Montelibano said they just want the Catholic Church to replace the two priests for allegedly creating problems in the town and going beyond their vows as priests.

“The priests put Murcia in bad light,” he said.

Montelibano earlier reacted when the priests condemned in their homilies the presence of illegal drugs and illegal gambling in the municipality.

Montelibano said that even during the Santacruzan last Friday, Hinayan kept on talking about illegal drugs and illegal gambling.

The Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) is also set to pass a resolution supporting the municipal council’s resolution.

The ABC president, councilor Antonio Luis Gonzaga, said they are responding to the issues hurled by the priests by undergoing a surprise drug test.

Municipal officials and employees were subjected to drug tests last week.

“We want to prove that we don’t use and tolerate illegal drugs in the town or inside the municipal hall,” Montelibano said.

“I hope this will answer all issues and questions raised against us. We hope to solve the problems in Murcia that cropped up because of these issues,” he said.

Montelibano said the drug tests were done by a private firm that also conducted drug tests for officials and employees of the cities of Victorias and San Carlos.

He said the municipal government shouldered the expenses for the drug tests.

He said the results of the drug tests will be released this week and those found positive will either be sent to a rehabilitation center or will be terminated from government service.