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Bishop Shinji Amari of Abiko Baptist Church vs. Villaflor [SEPARATE CONCURRING OPINION, LEONEN, J.]

BISHOP SHINJI AMARI OF ABIKO BAPTIST CHURCH, REPRESENTED BY SHINJI AMARI AND MISSIONARY BAPTIST INSTITUTE AND SEMINARY, REPRESENTED BY ITS DIRECTOR JOEL P. NEPOMUCENO, PETITIONERS, V. RICARDO R. VILLAFLOR, JR., RESPONDENT.

G.R. No. 224521 | 2020-02-17

SEPARATE CONCURRING OPINION
 
LEONEN, J.:
 
I concur in the result of the ponencia written by Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo. The exclusion of respondent Ricardo Villaflor (Villaflor), Jr. as a member of Abiko Baptist Church in Japan is an ecclesiastical affair and is, therefore, beyond the ambit of this Court's jurisdiction to resolve. However, I am of the view that his removal as a missionary was likewise ecclesiastical in nature, having been done in the exercise of Abiko Baptist Church's right to select and control who to minister its faithful.
 
As discussed in the ponencia, an ecclesiastical affair...