September 26, 2022

HIS EMINENCE
JOSE F. CARDINAL ADVINCULA, DD
Archbishop of Manila

Your Eminence,

I bring you greetings of peace and give you my full support on your ministry as our
Spiritual Father in our beloved Archdiocese. I am Val Renon, a server in the parish of
San Isidro Labrador in Pasay and its Parish Worship Coordinator and I am writing this
letter to inform and to complain our Parish Administrator, Rev. Fr. Jaime A. Bautista.

I hope that you would take time on reading this letter as I believe that you are my last
resort of giving my complains to the said priest:

1. From the beginning of his ministry as Parish Administrator, I felt discomfort by his
policies and instructions during the Mass. For instance, during the Lenten
Season, he asked us not to sing the Gospel Acclamation so we could feel the
spirit of Lent. I gave him a screenshot of the instruction from the Roman Missal
regarding this, but he insisted that he should be followed. He has done it the
whole year. I am his Master of Ceremony on special occasions, and I have
witnessed them all. He would get angry at me when I tell him that it is not right
that we follow his suggestion, especially during Masses.
2. During the time of our former parish priest, Fr. Macias Wency D. Serafica (who is
now assigned to a parish in the Archdiocese of Baltimore), he frequently gives
remarks and negative comments about the presence of the former’s mother and
being an employee of the parish. But when he became the parish administrator,
he let someone named Jonathan Johnson and his family to move in the parish,
citing that he would be an Assistant to him. We have heard through him that this
person is not in related to him (he was the godfather of the son of Jonathan). I
believe that there is a policy in our Archdiocese about this.
3. With regards to the person mentioned in number 2, this person constantly
influences and give side remarks about those people who will not be in good
terms with the priest. He gives negative remarks to these people. I believe that
one of our servers have written a letter of complaint to your office about the same
person. Our Music Ministry Coordinator had also an encounter with Jonathan
which is too much for him since he is just in-charge of the Livestream Mass and
not of anything else.
4. I have witnessed different persons entering the Church Rectory even past
midnight. I once lived in the Church Dormitory and would sometimes hear the
side gate open in the middle of the night and seeing him with another person.
5. Recently, last September 25 at 4:30 pm Mass, he berated me at Mass for having
a “loud and displeasing voice” as it distracts him. He even asked the mass goers
to raise their hands if they agree with him but no one in the congregation reacted.
I personally messaged him about what happened, but it seems that he still won’t
admit to his fault. It is very unbecoming of him as a priest to do such a thing. I
also have companions during that time, they are the YSLEP members. He even
threatened me that I will not be allowed to serve even to the next Parish Priest.
6. There was a recent report to the PPC Coordinator that during the First
Communion Mass of public schools, he asked the Greeters and Collectors to
write down his names on the envelopes which to be offered at Mass. Instead of
the money going to the collection, it went straight to him, and half of those
envelopes were given to the concelebrant priest at that time.

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 7. Fr. Bautista has some issues with the people he works with. When he gets angry
at them, he tends to give side remarks or scold them either in front of people or
during Council Meetings. He will really let you know that he is angry at you at
improper venues, and sadly, inside the Church.
8. As part of the Parish Pastoral Council, during our meetings, he would listen, first,
to our comments and suggestions but when the process is being done, he would
immediately change it, citing personal or pastoral concerns.

The above-mentioned complaints are not to destroy his character as a priest but to let
you know, Your Eminence, of his character and behavior as a person. People who have
encountered him will attest to these and I am asking for your gracious and kindness to
listen to your child in the Archdiocese.

I am hoping for your positive response in this letter, and I am asking for your blessing
and for the ministry where I serve in.

Respectfully yours,

Bro. Val Renon

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