I have long admired Catholic Bishop Teodoro Bacani and thought him a worthy successor to the ailing Archbishop of Manila, Cardinal Jaime Sin. Bishop Bacani, 63, has a way of explaining Jesus Christ's teachings in the context of Philippine realities. The prelate comes across as an ascetic, and has endeared himself to many by courageously confronting the powerful with their foibles.
Like Cardinal Sin, he often coated advice with humour. To brides who wore revealing gowns, he admonished them in this fashion: 'There are times when instead of saying 'The body of Christ', I am tempted to say, 'Christ, what a body'!'
This remark, for me, has acquired a different shade in the light of a recent accusation of sexual misconduct by his 34-year-old female secretary of five years. Neither the bishop nor his secretary has detailed to the public what exactly happened, on two occasions, to make the woman so offended that she just stopped working in March and filed a complaint with the Pope's local representative.
Before leaving - some said fleeing - to the United States for a three-week holiday on medical grounds last Monday, Bishop Bacani spoke on radio in a very agitated, inarticulate way. 'Please let us not believe any accusations being said, especially for me, if that will happen to me, of course it hurts that people will at once believe this accusation against me,' he said.
Too late. The bishop himself had weakened his denial by apologising in writing to fellow priests, lay parishioners and his secretary. He said he was 'deeply sorry for the consequences of any inappropriate expression of affection to my secretary'.
Curiously, the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995 defines sexual harassment as 'unwelcome or improper gestures of affection'. Conviction is punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to 20,000 pesos (HK$2,900).
