Father Shay Cullen, the Columban priest who has been fighting the sexual exploitation of children in the Philippines for 30 years, says he is disappointed at the failure of Irish Governments to support his fight. The Dublin-born priest, who is on a short visit to Ireland, says he has received more help from Germany and Italy than from his own country.
Father Cullen was recently cleared of rape charges which he says were concocted by people connected to the child sex industry. His acquittal is now being appealed to the highest court in the Philippines.
The rape charge was one of 59 harassment cases made against the priest and his Filipino staff in what he ways is a campaign to halt his work. "Thirty-seven have already been proven false, and the rest are in progress," he said.
The German embassy in Manila has already made representations to the authorities over the campaign against him in the courts and, he said, he would welcome intervention by the Irish authorities.
Father Cullen established the Preda Foundation in Olongapo city, which works to save victims of child sexual abuse from brothels and internationally run paedophile rings.
Ireland is too complacent about child trafficking and exploitation, he said. There are people in Ireland who have links to the sex industry in the Philippines and some of them had come to a meeting in Dublin to heckle him.
Father Cullen has been briefing Barnardos on his work in the Philippines and the lessons which Irish campaigners can draw from that experience.
Weblink for Preda Foundation: www.preda.org
Email: preda@svisp.com