SILENCE now fills the San Fernando Rey Parish Church in the northern town of Liloan, Cebu. The same silence that once invited prayer has turned heavy with grief after an unidentified woman was found dead inside the sacred space on Friday morning, Oct. 24, 2025.
The tragedy has left not only investigators searching for answers but also a community grappling with disbelief. For many residents, the church was a place of refuge — a sanctuary where people sought peace, not violence.
The Archdiocese of Cebu ordered the temporary closure of the church, calling the act that took place within its walls a “desecration.”
Cebu Archbishop Alberto Uy expressed deep sorrow over the crime and suspended all public acts of worship until a rite of reparation is performed.
“It is judged that the sacred place has indeed been desecrated through an act of grave violence, which has caused profound scandal and pain among the faithful of Liloan and beyond,” Archbishop Uy said in a statement.
He cited Canon 1211 of the Code of Canon Law, which mandates that a sacred place violated by a serious act of disrespect must be restored through a special liturgical rite before services can resume.
A community in shock
Church personnel discovered the woman lying motionless near the entrance. She was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
Investigators noted visible head injuries, nose bleeding and ligature marks around her neck — signs that she had been beaten and possibly strangled.
The woman, believed to be around 30 years old, was wearing a black T-shirt and denim shorts. Police are still trying to learn her identity.
The search for answers
Lt. Col. Dindo Alaras, chief of the Liloan Municipal Police Station, said CCTV footage captured the victim entering the church with a man, suggesting that they knew each other.
Moments later, the footage reportedly showed the man attacking her — strangling and slamming her head on the ground before fleeing.
“We still don’t know who the victim is. Once we identify her, it might lead us to the suspect since it appears they knew each other,” Alaras said.
Authorities have asked the public for help in identifying the woman. The Liloan police have posted an appeal on social media, urging anyone with information to call 0998-598-6385.
Alaras assured that any information provided will remain confidential and that witnesses will be given protection.
Healing and hope
For parishioners of San Fernando Rey Church, the incident has struck at the heart of their faith. The altar now stands empty, its candles unlit, awaiting the day when prayers may once again be offered within its walls.
Archbishop Uy said the church will remain closed until the proper rite of reparation is performed, restoring its dignity “as a house of prayer and peace.”
For now, the people of Liloan are left to mourn a woman whose name they do not yet know — and a sanctuary that must heal before it can welcome them again. / AYB