Cardinal Tagle is considered one of the frontrunners to replace Pope Francis. - AFP
MANILA: The Philippines' governing body of Catholic bishops has issued a rare statement on clerical sexual abuse, defending Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle on the issue days before the opening of a conclave to elect a new pope.
Watchdog group BishopAccountability.org warned Friday (that Tagle and Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin could not be relied on to protect children, with its co-director accusing the church in the Philippines of remaining in the "dark ages".
