Priest facing child pornography case deported to US
ILOILO CITY, Philippines—A Filipino Catholic priest wanted in the United States for theft and possession of child pornography has surrendered to Philippine authorities after more than a year as a fugitive.
“I am so sorry. I want to apologize to all the people… for the damage I have done to you all, to the Church and to myself,” Fr. Lowe Dongor said in an interview in Iloilo.
A native of Barotac Nuevo town in Iloilo, Dongor was flown to the US Monday evening, more than a month after he surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Western Visayas office on Nov. 2.
Dongor, 36, was accompanied by NBI investigating agent Arnold Diaz and will be turned over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation to face various charges including unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
Dongor agreed to the interview on condition that the news report would be released after he had left the country.
The priest admitted taking around $250 from St. Joseph’s Parish of the diocese of Worcester in Massachusetts where he was assigned as associate pastor. He also admitted visiting online pornographic sites with pictures of minors but has denied downloading them in his laptop computer.
“I am ready to go to jail if that will be the consequence of my actions. I leave myself to God now,” he said.
Dongor became a US fugitive after he fled to the Philippines on Oct. 1, 2011, leaving through the JFK airport in New York City. He was arraigned on Sept. 12, 2011, at the Fitchburg District Court on possession of child pornography and larceny of more than $250.
In a letter sent to Catholic Bishops of the Conference of the Philippines on Oct. 13, 2011, Worcester Bishop Robert McManus said Dongor was stripped of his positions and was disallowed from wearing clerical attire and functioning as a priest.
McManus said in his letter that their actions were based on the position of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith that the “acquisition, possession and distribution of child pornography is a canonical delict (offense) that pertains to the sexual abuse of a minor.”
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Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director