BishopAccountability.org, which tracks abuse in the Catholic Church, said 82 priests and brothers from the Philippines and some who served in the country for a period in their lives had been accused of sex abuse.
Philippine bishops have a “deep sense of entitlement” in withholding information on the abuse of priests in their diocese, she said.
Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, president of the Philippine bishops conference, the Church’s top policy body, said in a statement that it has put up an office headed by an archbishop and a team of bishops and experts to safeguard minors.
Individual bishops, David said, have authority over the accused priests. The papal nuncio - Pope Francis’ representative to the country - is usually the next level of authority to act on the complaints.
The Pope’s nuncio to the Philippines did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
‘SMALL FRACTION’
“Zero tolerance does not exist in the Philippine church,“ she added.
The group said its first report involving the Philippines was far from exhaustive.
Catholic institutions have significant cultural and social influence in the Philippines beyond parishes, including schools, hospitals, charities, and politics.
For decades, sex abuse scandals have shaken the Catholic Church across the world. Paedophile priests and efforts to cover up their crimes have damaged its credibility and cost hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements.
BishopAccountability.org has previously published similar databases for the United States, Argentina, Chile and Ireland.
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