POPE Leo XIV has accepted the mandatory resignation of Cotabato Archbishop Angelito Lampon after he reached the bishops’ retirement age of 75.
According to CBCP News, the Pontiff has accepted the resignation of Lampon, who has been the Cotabato archbishop since January 2019.
"His resignation was accepted by the Pope after he turned 75, the mandatory retirement age for bishops, on March 1," said CBCP News.
In turn, the Pope has designated Jolo Bishop Charlie Inzon as the successor of Lampon.
The official news agency of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said the appointment of Inzon was announced at the Vatican at 12 p.m., or 6 p.m. in the Philippines.
"No date has been set yet for his installation as the fifth archbishop of Cotabato," said CBCP News.
Inzon was born in Pilar, Sorsogon in 1965, and was ordained priest for the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) on April 24, 1993 in Caloocan City.
He studied philosophy at Notre Dame University in Cotabato City and theology at the Loyola School of Theology of Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City.
The archbishop-designate also holds a master’s degree in theology from Loyola and a doctorate in psychology from Ateneo.
He later served as president of Notre Dame College in Jolo and Notre Dame University in Cotabato.
The 59-year old prelate also served as provincial superior of the Oblates in 2018 and subsequently as apostolic vicar of Jolo in 2020.
Inzon was ordained bishop on May 21, 2020 at the Cotabato Cathedral, and was installed in Jolo on July 16, 2020. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)