The Arnold Janssen Kalinga Foundation has issued a statement categorically denying allegations made against Rev. Fr. Flaviano Antonio L. Villanueva, SVD, during a recent Senate committee hearing. The accusations claimed that Fr. Villanueva received money through an envelope near a church on Mindanao Ave., Quezon City, and a suitcase delivered to an address identified as “33 Clemente.”
Foundation Rejects Allegations as False
The foundation stated that these allegations are entirely false and that the witness publicly attributed acts and transactions to Fr. Villanueva that never occurred. The claim involving a delivery near a church on Mindanao Ave. collapses under its own facts, as no specific church was identified and no SVD parish, church, or ministry center exists along that avenue matching the description.
No Evidence for Suitcase Claim
Similarly, the allegation concerning a suitcase delivered to “33 Clemente” is unsupported by any evidence and is nothing more than a fabricated accusation, according to the foundation.
The foundation described the allegations as not merely false but malicious, defamatory, and a grave injustice against a priest who has devoted his life to serving the poor, accompanying victims of extrajudicial killings (EJK) and their families, and defending the dignity of the voiceless.
Condemnation of Reckless Accusations
The foundation strongly condemned the reckless public airing of serious accusations unsupported by evidence and contradicted by readily verifiable facts. It emphasized that no person’s reputation should be placed on trial based on allegations that cannot withstand basic scrutiny.
Fr. Villanueva has long endured attacks because he chose to stand beside victims of violence and give voice to those who could not speak for themselves. The foundation declared that it will not allow decades of faithful ministry to be tarnished by fabricated stories and reckless accusations.
Legal Action Initiated
Legal action has already been initiated, and the foundation intends to hold accountable those who have chosen to bear false witness. Fr. Villanueva will continue his ministry undeterred and will continue to stand with the poor, with victims, and with those who seek truth and justice.
The foundation concluded by stating that truth deserves protection and that those who deliberately defame others in the guise of testimony must likewise be held accountable.
