Three priests accused of pedophilia face justice.
A case revealed in the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry into pedophilia, chaired by Senator Magno Malta, will go to trial in Alagoas.
The city of Arapiraca (AL) is divided between residents who demand punishment for the three priests accused of pedophilia and those who forgive the priests. Luiz Marques Barbosa, Raimundo Gomes, and Edilson Duarte allegedly sexually abused three altar boys from the Catholic Church when the victims were minors.
"The city is divided: those without faith are against the priests, those with faith are on the side of the Church and hope for the absolution of the religious figures," summarizes shopkeeper Cintia Nascimento. For street vendor Manoel dos Santos Lima, the priests need to pay for the mistakes they made, "but the greatest judgment will be made by divine justice."
For Mrs. Áurea Valeriano da Silva, granddaughter of Manoel André, the founder of the city of Arapiraca, the accused priests have already been "condemned" by the media. "They taught many good things to the Arapiraca community. Therefore, I don't believe this accusation. For me, it was the priests who were molested," stated the daughter of the city's patron.
The trial of the religious figures began today at 9:00 AM and was suspended around 7:00 PM, to be resumed only on July 22nd. The preliminary hearing and trial are presided over by Judge João Luiz de Azevedo Lessa, of the Children and Youth Court of Arapiraca. Two representatives of the Holy See, appointed by the Diocese of Penedo (AL), are attending the trial at the request of the Vatican.
According to the court records, investigations revealed that the priests promised financial advantages to altar boys to gain their trust and then take advantage of the victims. One of the priests, Monsignor Luiz Barbosa, was even filmed performing oral sex on one of the altar boys. Even so, all three denied involvement in pedophilia.
The case was investigated by the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry into Pedophilia, which held a public session in Arapiraca, chaired by Senator Magno Malta (PR-ES). During the session, the senator ordered the video to be shown where the priest appears having sex with the altar boy. The images shocked those watching the session and generated protests from the local community.