Manila court finds tour guide Carlos Celdran guilty of offending religious feelings


By , GMA News

(Updated 3:31 p.m.) - A Manila court has found Manila tour guide Carlos Celdran guilty of "offending religious feelings" for disrupting a Mass in September 2010 in protest for the Catholic Church's stand against the then Reproductive Health bill.
 
Celdran, then dressed as national hero Jose Rizal, held up a placard with the word “Damaso” before Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and several bishops gathered at the Manila Cathedral, a reference to the villainous friar from Rizal's novel "Noli Me Tangere." 
 
"All told, the positive declaration of the (prosecution) witnesses... (is) sufficient to satisfy the quantum of evidence needed for a criminal conviction," said the Manila Metropolitan Trial Court handling the case in its resolution.
 
Celdran was found guilty of violating Article 133 of the Revised Penal Code which penalizes an offense against hurting religious feelings.

Article 133 punishes anyone who "in a place of worship or during the celebration of any religious ceremony, shall perform acts notoriously offensive to the feelings of the faithful."
 
Celdran was sentenced to spend between two months and one year in jail. 

Celdran to appeal decision
 
In an interview with GMA News Online, Celdran—who is out on bail—said he was willing to appeal his case all the way to the Supreme Court.
 
Celdran told GMA News Online in an interview that "This proves that any parish priest can put you in jail if he is offended.... The laws of 'Noli' are alive and well and still working. The time of Jose Rizal is not over."

"This issue will just get bigger. It's a freedom of speech issue," Celdran said.

"I'm ready to fight, but right now I just want a halo-halo," he told GMA News Online.
 
Celdran's camp vowed to move for the abolition of that particular section on the Revised Penal Code pertaining to offending religious feelings

'Damaso'

In 2010, Celdran, after raising the "Damaso" sign at Manila Cathedral, screamed, "Stop getting involved in politics" before he was taken away by the police at around 4:30 p.m.

At the time, Manila Cathedral rector Msgr. Nestor Cerbo said that Celdran was guilty of "disruption of worship, which is a very sacred thing which should be given utmost respect."
 
"To make a scene and call that freedom of expression? That is pagbabastos," Cerbo had said.
 
Aside from leading popular walking tours of Manila's historical spots, Celdran is also a vocal advocate of the Reproductive Health Bill. 
 
He has used his blog, Facebook account, and Twitter account to criticize the Catholic church for its stance against artificial contraceptives and sex education. —With a report from Howie Severino/KG/RSJ, GMA News

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