By the
A.M. Costa Rica staff
Jason Granados
spokesman of Costa Rican
Catholic Church, known as
Metropolitan Curia, the Clerical
State in the Vatican sentenced
to a man, surnamed
Víquez-Lizano, to the maximum
sanction imposed by the church
in cases such as pedophilia. He
has been expelled from the
Clerical State.
Granados said that the
resolution, issued on February
25, 2019, reads: "Imposed to the
Reverend Víquez Lizano, priest
of the Archdiocese of San José,
the perpetual and expiatory
sentence of expulsion from the
Clerical State."
In the case of now former Father
Víquez-Lizano, nine complaints
have been filed for alleged
sexual abuse against minors and
one criminal complaint for
alleged violation of a minor.
Statistics of the last ten
years, reported Mr. Granados,
show there have been more cases
in which the Catholic Church has
investigated priests for
complaints related to sexual
abuse.
"In eight cases, the suspects
were sentenced with canonical
punishment. In seven cases the
suspects have been punished with
the resignation and expulsion
from the Clerical State. In one
case, the suspect was sentenced
not to hold parish offices.
There are still 8 cases under
investigation. In one more case
the suspect was dismissed by the
authorities in Rome and in one
case the suspect was dismissed
right at the investigation
stage. One last case was closed
because of the priest dead,"
said Granados.
Regarding to the position of the
Catholic Church in the specific
case of former priest
Víquez-Lizano, Mr. Granado said
that "he must face the case and
surrender to the authorities."
The Vatican sentence can be
appealed. To appeal, former
priest Víquez-Lizano has 60 days
to file. "If in 60 days he does
not file an appeal then that
sentence will unappealable,"
said Granados.
According to Granados, Catholic
Church officials could not find
Víquez-Lizano to notify him
about the Vatican resolution.
As A.M. Costa Rica reported on
Feb. 21, a judge in the Desamparados
city court* requested an
international arrest warrant
for Víquez-Lizano, who
is charged with the sexual
abuse of two children in 2003.
The suspect is being
investigated for the alleged
rape of two men surnamed
Rodríguez and Venegas who were
minors in 2003.
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A.M. Costa
Rica wire services photo
Statistics of the last
ten years, reported
there have been more
cases in which the
Catholic Church has
investigated priests for
complaints related to
sexual abuse.
According to the
Prosecutor's Office of
Desamparados
city court*, the
case was elevated so
that it could involve
an international
arrest order with the
Interpol.
The Prosecutor's
Office of Gender,
which is the judicial
organization where
victims of sexual
crimes are defended,
said they cannot give
any more details about
the case due to
restrictions by
Article #295 of the
Criminal Procedure
Code. This article
defines that when a
case is in the
evidence collection
phase, the information
is private.
The press office of
the Catholic Church
confirmed that the
paperwork had already
been done at the
internal level of the
organization, and that
the ex-priest had been
asked to appear before
the prosecution and
face the case.
Auxiliary bishop
Daniel Blanco, of the
Archdiocese of San
José, said, "the
Church has not put, or
will put, any obstacle
to this process. We
ask Mr. Víquez-Lizano
to surrender to the
authorities."
According to the
record of departures
of the General
Directorate of
Migration,
Víquez-Lizano left the
country on January 7,
2019.
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Should
the Catholic Church file
a formal accusation at
the Prosecutor's Office
every time there is a
case of possible sexual
abuse by a priest? We
would like to know your
thoughts on this story.
Send your comments to: news@amcostarica.com
*Link to
reach the source.
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