NAGHAIN ng kasong perjury si dating Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairperson Harriet Demetriou sa Makati City Prosecutor’s Office laban kay exorcist priest Fr. Winston Cabading na nag-ugat sa hiwalay na reklamo dulot ng umano’y pangungutya ng pari sa Lipa apparitions.

Batay sa 15-pahinang reklamo, binigyang diin ni Demetriou na nagsinungaling si Cabading sa kanyang sinumpaang petition for review sa Department of Justice (DOJ) na may petsang May 27,2023 at inihain noong May 29,2023 hinggil sa umiiral na 1951 Papal Decree na nagdeklara sa 1948 Lipa Marian Apparitions bilang “supernatural character.”

Ayon kay Demetriou, binanggit din ni Cabading sa kanyang petisyon ang “CDF Decree of 2015” kung saan mismong si Pope Francis ang sinasabing naglabas dito.

“Respondent’s statements are material matter tending to prove or strengthen his defense of lack of malice in his criminal case for Offending Religious Feelings,” giit ni Demetriou.

“Stated differently, if the 1951 Papal Decree exists, respondent’s defense of lack of intent to cause dishonor or to ridicule the Marian devotees may possibly hold water and could probably exculpate him for the crime being charged against him. However, if indeed the 1951 Papal Decree does not exist, his defense of lack of criminal intent or malice would be inconsequential. Respondent had consciously and deliberately, with malice aforethought, perjured himself,” dagdag pa ng complainant.

Matatandaang dinakip ng mga awtoridad si Cabading noong Mayo 13 matapos magpalabas ng warrant of arrest ang Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) laban sa kanya na nag-ugat sa hiwalay na kasong inihain ng dating Comelec chief dahil sa umano’y paglabag sa Article 133 (offending religious feelings) ng Revised Penal Code (RPC).

Makaraan ang dalawang araw, naglagak ng P18,000 na piyansa ang pari para sa kanyang pansamantalang paglaya at kalaunan ay nagsampa ng petition for review sa DOJ.

Ang unang kasong isinampa ni Demetriou, kilalang deboto ng Our Lady of Mary Mediatrix of All Grace, ay sinasabing ibinatay sa May 28, 2022 online talk show ng isang Bro. Wendell Talibong ng Archdiocese of Ozamis kung saan tinalakay nila ang aparisyon ng Mediatrix, gayundin sa 4th National Conference on the Ministry of Spiritual Liberation and Exorcism, mula Aug. 19 hanggang August 23, 2019.

Iginiit ni Demetriou na kinutya at hinamak umano ng pari, hindi lamang ang Banal na Birhen, kundi maging ang mga deboto nito.

Samantala, sa hiwalay namang pahayag, sinabi ng dating Sandiganbayan justice na walang sinumang kardinal, obispo o pari sa bansa ang nangingibabaw sa batas.

“What they did is a horrendous ornament of deception to deceive the Catholic faithful in this country. With this perjury, let them now produce the existence of the Papal Decree of 1951 of Pope Pius XII by presenting a genuine copy thereof and of the Vatican CDF Decree of 2015 with genuine proof of approval by Pope Francis,” pagdidiin pa ni Demetriou.