Chilean police raid bishops over sex abuse allegations

PIC: Regional prosecutor Emiliano Arias addresses the press at the Archbishopric of Santiago, on July 12, 2018, after requesting the arrest warrant of former chancellor of the archbishopric Oscar Munoz Toledo on sexual abuse charges against seven children since 2002. (AFP)

CRIME

SANTIAGO - Chilean authorities on Friday seized documents and computers in raids targeting the Catholic church in the cities of Temuco and Villarrica amid a pedophilia scandal that has gripped the country, judicial sources said.

Local media reported the investigation began on June 19 following allegations of sexual abuse against five clergy members.

The operations took place after the bishops of those cities refused to hand over information requested by prosecutors.

The raids came after prominent Chilean Catholic priest Oscar Munoz, who was vice-chancellor and then chancellor in the archdiocese of Santiago, was detained Thursday over allegations that he sexually abused and raped seven children between 2002 and 2018.

Munoz, aged 56, faces a 15 year prison sentence for the alleged abuse, which took place from 2002 in the capital Santiago and the southern city of Rancagua.

He was placed in preventative detention on Friday.

The Chilean church has been hit by pedophilia scandals implicating dozens of priests. Pope Francis has accepted the resignations of five bishops, four of whom were accused of turning a blind eye to abuse or covering it up.