A beach resort in Boljoon, a townhouse in Mactan, a mansion in Banawa, a condo in Cebu Business Park, and another condo in Banawa are allegedly some of the properties amassed by Monsignor Roberto Alesna.

“How many properties does one priest need to serve one Church?” wrote the Facebook page whispers from the walls, which listed Alesna’s alleged properties in a series of posts.

The allegations surfaced after retired Court of Appeals Justice Gabriel Ingles, a former seminarian, wrote outgoing Cebu Archbishop Jose S. Palma to ask why Alesna was still given an assignment despite having retired.

Ingles wrote that Palma gave Alesna “the special favor of being appointed to serve as chaplain of the San Pedro Calungsod Chapel. This assignment appears to deviate from long-standing practice concerning the retirement and reassignment of clergy. As I understand it, priests who reach the age of 75 are expected to retire, a tradition that extends even to bishops.”

The Archdiocese answered through a letter written by Chancellor Monsignor Renato Beltran that Alesna was given the assignment not as a pastoral task but to raise funds for the Divine Mercy Center in Garing, Consolacion. Beltran also said that Alesna, during his 75th birthday celebration, expressed his desire to continue serving the archdiocese.

It was in the middle of that discussion that the Facebook page started exposing what it said were the different properties of Monsignor Alesna.

“Many may know about Silver Cliff (the resort in Boljoon), but the rest of the properties are mostly not known to many,” said Monsignor Raul Go, the judicial vicar of the Archdiocese of Cebu.

When asked whether there exist regulations covering the amassing of wealth by priests, Go said, there are “no specific rules, only guiding principles like what is modest and enough for your needs.”

“The bishop can legislate local regulations, but nothing is legislated so far. Maybe because there was no case such as this one, and the priests are left on their own to exercise prudence in managing their resources.

Sought for comment, Monsignor Joseph Tan, media liaison officer for the archdiocese, said they will not comment on the accusations for now.

Tan, however, said “the right to free and responsible speech and to public opinion — the church respects and honors without animosity.”

I sent Alesna a message to ask for his comments and his side on the issue but I did not get a response. Tan said Alesna has been “silent so far to everyone.”