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Monday, July 21, 2003
Cardinal to pursue rap vs. icon dealer
EVEN if an antique dealer already denied having links with a syndicate, Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal still wants to teach dealers of stolen church icons a lesson and will push through with the complaint he filed.
It was the first time for the cardinal to file a complaint against an antique dealer when he signed as one of the complainants against Rory Bacus last month.
The complaint stemmed from a raid by the Cebu Provincial Police Office in Bacus’ house last March, which yielded some 300 pieces of antique religious icons and other religious images and artifacts, some of which are believed to be those stolen from churches in the archdiocese.
“This is already a cultural heritage. Therefore, it must be preserved. But if they want money, of course, what can we do?” Vidal said.
Intervention
Bacus is said to have denied any link with a group involved in stealing church icons and selling these in antique shops, saying his business is legitimate.
Vidal and two parish workers of a church robbed of their religious icons filed their motion for intervention as complainants in the case filed against Bacus.
The cardinal suspects a syndicate was behind 22 burglaries in various parishes recorded by the provincial police since May 2002.
So far this year, seven churches have lost priceless religious icons, some of which date back to the 18th century.
Just last week, burglars stole the image of the Virgin of All Remedies (Birhen delos Remedios) from a chapel in Barangay Colonia, Tuburan, Cebu.
The loss was recorded as the seventh so far this year, and happened eight days after a chapel in Balamban town also lost the images of Sta. Monica and San Agustin to burglars.
In an interview after the inauguration of the Mother Butler exhibit at the Ayala Center Cebu yesterday, Vidal said he will complain against antique dealers caught selling stolen religious icons.
He reiterated his call to preserve the cultural heritage of the church by taking care of religious artifacts, antique images and church icons in the parishes and chapels. LCR
(July 21, 2003 issue)
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