The Case of Fr. Agustin Cuenca, OFM

1990³⁶

On 1 August 1990, Fr. Agustin Cuenca, OFM,³⁷ a parish priest assigned to the Our Lady of the Abandoned Church in Sta. Ana, Manila, was accused of sexually molesting two of his teenaged acolytes. The complaint alleged that his accusers, 15 and 16 years old, were abused sexually for a period of two years starting in December 1988 until June 1990 by Cuenca.

In December 1988, Cuenca allegedly ordered all his acolytes to sleep in his room at the parish rectory in order for them to wake up early for the pre-Christmas dawn masses. One of the acolytes alleged in a sworn statement that he was woken up by the priest’s hands groping parts of his body. This incident was repeated several times with the priest going to the extent of sucking his organ. As a result, the acolyte suffered from urinary tract infection.

The other acolyte alleges being sexually molested only once, on Easter Sunday 1990, when Cuenca hugged him tightly and repeatedly told him that he will “taste God’s cooking.” (“Matitikman mo ang luto ng Diyos.”)

Both acolytes alleged that others have also been molested but have chosen to keep quiet , especially after being given money by Cuenca.

The criminal case of acts of lasciviousness was dismissed at the preliminary investigation level. The prosecutor alleged that while this penal provision applied to female children, it only applied to male children if they were below 12 years old.

The administrative case submitted to then Philippine Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin was apparently referred to Cuenca’s superior in the Order of the Friars Minor (Franciscans) who merely transferred Cuenca to a different parish in the province.

At present, Cuenca is supposedly back in Manila. No information is available as to whether he was further investigated or whether he has undergone treatment and rehabilitation or not. Could there have been other cases and/ or allegations of sexual abuse against him? Having been assigned to the province where the Catholic church is undeniably more powerful and where there are few, if any, NGOs that address child abuse much less clergy sexual abuse, one cannot help but be concerned with the way this case was handled.