Iloilo archdiocese may address call to remove parish priest

Catholic Church officials in Iloilo may address this week a petition to remove a priest from a parish in Miag-ao town in the province.

This was after some 300 parishioners from Miag-ao town went to the Archbishop's Palace in Iloilo City on Sunday to seek the ouster of parish priest Juan Parreñas, GMA Iloilo reported Monday.

Calling itself the Oust Parreñas Movement (OPM), the group questioned Parreñas' fitness to serve in his post, calling him arrogant and bossy.

The report quoted the group's spokesman Jun Acsay as saying the OPM had planned its protest as early as May, but Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo asked them not to push through with it.

Acsay added Lagdameo told them at the time that the archdiocese was looking for a solution to the problem.

Meanwhile, the GMA Iloilo report quoted the Jaro Archdiocese's Msgr. Jose Marie Delgado as saying the archdiocese may come out with a statement on the issue as early as Tuesday.

But in the meantime, the archdiocese appealed for calm from all parties concerned. — Joel Locsin/JDS, GMA News