The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) served five warrants of arrest against American Roman Catholic priest Father Kenneth Pius Hendricks for separate cases.
The arrest warrants were for two criminal cases for acts of lasciviousness in relation to violation of Section 5(b) of Republic Act 7610 or the Anti-Child Abuse Law issued by Constantino Esber, acting presiding judge of the Eight Judicial Region Regional Trial Court, Branch 16 in Naval, Biliran; and three criminal cases for violation of Section 5(a) of RA 7610.
According to police, Hendricks arrived in the country from Cincinnati, Ohio, USA in 1968. As a priest in the Franciscan order, police said he has molested at least 50 individuals including seven-year-old altar boys who were serving at St. Isidore the Worker Chapel at Talustosan Village, Biliran province.
NCRPO Director Guillermo Eleazar said Hendricks was initially arrested by immigration operatives last December 5, 2018 after a warrant of arrest was issued against him by Stephanie Bowman, Cincinnati, Ohio district’s US magistrate judge. The arrest warrant was based on charges filed against Hendricks for “engaging in illicit sex with a minor in a foreign country,” a crime punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Hendricks was brought to NCRPO headquarters where he will be temporarily detained prior to the hearing of his cases.
