Catholic priests suspended in Colombia over abuse claim

The Catholic Church in Colombia has suspended 15 priests accused of sexual abuse, the archdiocese of the city of Villavicencio said on Friday. The suspension was "a precautionary measure ... because there is an ongoing investigation," priest Carlos Villabon told AFP.

On February 14 a man, whose name has been withheld, accused the priests of "actions against sexual morality," according to the statement by the Villavicencio archdiocese. The archdiocese said it had informed the public prosecutor and had made itself "available to collaborate with investigators." The church said it has implementing "guidelines given by Pope Francis" to show "zero tolerance towards sexual abuse by the clergy." The majority of Colombia's population is Catholic, but the country is preparing for Easter and Holy Week under a quarantine due to the global coronavirus pandemic that will prevent the festival from being celebrated publically.