#TalkThursday with Bishop Buhain

MANILA, Philippines – Rappler speaks to former auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Manila, Teodoro Buhain Jr.

Buhain resigned in 2003 following the retirement of the late Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin.

During his tenure as auxiliary bishop, Buhain was hounded by accusations of sexual and financial indiscretions.

Church sources said Buhain fathered a child with a former employee of Radio Veritas, which he managed. They claimed that the original text of the Vatican announcement of Buhain’s retirement indicated the Holy See accepted his resignation due to “inappropriate behavior with a lady and that the said lady was pressured against her will to execute a sworn statement.”

Buhain was also accused of failing to properly account for the multi-million peso donations to Radio Veritas, accumulated during a fund-raising activity in 1986. However, in a letter to Rappler, Buhain’s lawyer, Rocherrie Bayot says, “The proceeds of the fundraiser were reported to the Board of Trustees of (Radio Veritas Global) along with an audit report prepared by SGV (Sycip, Gorres and Velayo).”

Bayot clarifies Buhain’s resignation in 2003 was done “with protest” since the Church did not allow an “accurate investigation” of these accusations. The bishop wanted to face these charges, Bayot said. Cardinal Sin apparently prevented him from seeking a formal inquiry to prevent adding to the controversy caused by two other bishops — Crisostomo Yalung and Teodoro Bacani.

Watch the interview below.

– Rappler.com