The case stemmed from statements the priest made on his social media program questioning the authenticity of the Lipa apparitions, which the Vatican declared “not supernatural” in the 1950s
Newsroom (07/10/2025, Gaudium Press ) A Philippine appellate court has upheld the dismissal of a criminal case against Dominican priest Father Winston Cabading, accused of “offending religious feelings” for remarks about the 1948 Marian apparition in Lipa City, Batangas, in a decision reinforcing the boundaries of free speech in religious discourse.
The Court of Appeals, in a 28-page ruling issued on Sept. 29 but released to the media on Oct. 6, affirmed a 2024 Quezon City Regional Trial Court decision dismissing the complaint filed by retired Sandiganbayan Justice Harriet Demetriou. The case stemmed from statements Cabading made on his social media program questioning the authenticity of the Lipa apparitions, which the Vatican declared “not supernatural” in the 1950s.
Demetriou’s 2022 complaint alleged that Cabading’s comments insulted devotees of the reported apparition, known as “Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace,” claimed by Carmelite novice Teresita Castillo in 1948 at the Carmelite Monastery in Lipa City. Cabading, an exorcist with the Archdiocese of Manila, was arrested on May 13, 2023, and detained for two days before his release.
The appellate court ruled that Cabading’s remarks, made during an online program, did not constitute a religious ceremony, a key factor in the charge of offending religious feelings under Philippine law. “The priest’s social media program is akin to a broadcast or dialogue, not a formal or solemn act prescribed by religious ritual,” the court stated, emphasizing that the discussion fell within the realm of public discourse.
The Archdiocese of Manila Office of Exorcism hailed the ruling, announcing it with “great joy” on Oct. 7, coinciding with the Feast Day of Our Lady of the Rosary La Naval de Manila.
The case reflects a broader pattern of legal battles over religious sensitivities in the Philippines, a predominantly Catholic nation. In 2010, cultural activist Carlos Celdran was convicted for disrupting a Manila Cathedral service to protest the Catholic Church’s stance on the reproductive health bill. More recently, in 2023, drag artist Pura Luka Vega faced similar charges for performances depicting Jesus Christ and the Black Nazarene, but was acquitted in June 2025.
The ruling in Cabading’s favor underscores the judiciary’s distinction between protected speech and acts targeting religious ceremonies, a nuance likely to shape future cases in the country’s ongoing debate over faith and expression.
- Raju Hasmukh with files form UCA News
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