Us priest accused of abusing altar boys arrested in the philippines

A US priest accused of sexually abusing altar boys has been arrested in the Philippines, according to reports.

The priest, identified as Rev. Kenneth Bernard Hendricks, 77, was arrested on Tuesday at a hotel in Pasay City, Metro Manila, by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Hendricks is accused of sexually abusing multiple altar boys at a church in the US state of Wisconsin, where he served as a priest from 1970 to 2005. The alleged abuse occurred between 1970 and 1992, and the victims have come forward in recent years to report the abuse.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) received a tip-off from the US authorities about Hendricks' whereabouts and launched an operation to arrest him.

Hendricks was taken into custody and is currently being held at the Pasay City Police Station pending deportation proceedings. He is facing charges of child abuse and sexual assault in the US.

The Catholic Church in the Philippines has also issued a statement condemning the alleged abuse and expressing support for the victims.

"This is a grave and heinous crime that has caused immense harm and suffering to the victims and their families," said Archbishop Romulo Valles, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines. "We condemn this act in the strongest possible terms and offer our prayers and support to the victims and their families."

Hendricks' arrest is the latest in a series of high-profile cases of clergy abuse in the Philippines, which has led to widespread outrage and calls for greater accountability within the Catholic Church.

In recent years, the Philippine government has taken steps to address the issue of clergy abuse, including the establishment of a special task force to investigate and prosecute cases of abuse.