Minister indicted for sexual abuse of Ecija girl

By Manny Galvez

CABANATUAN CITY – A lay minister of a Catholic Church was charged before the provincial prosecutor’s office here for allegedly molesting a 10-year-old girl  afternoon of Feb. 20 in Cabiao, Nueva Ecija.

Charged for acts of lasciviousness in relation to Violence Against Women and Children Act was Efren Meña, 55, of Barangay San Fernando Sur, Cabiao town.

Meña is a lay minister of the Saint John Nepomucene Parish Church in Cabiao, according to Chief Inspector Eric de Venancio, town police chief.      

In her complaint, the girl’s mother said the crime happened inside the house of a neighbor at about 1 p.m. that Thursday.

The victim told case investigator SPO 1 Orlando Francisco that Meña kissed her on the lips and touched her breast.

The girl immediately told the incident to her mother who accompanied her to the police and the office of municipal social welfare and development.

Francisco said Meña allegedly owned up to the crime.

A bail of P200,000 was recommended for the suspect’s provisional liberty.