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CEBU CITY, Philippines – Cebu Archbishop Jose S. Palma issued Sunday, January 12, a special power of attorney (SPA) authorizing Governor Gwendolyn Garcia to represent the Archdiocese of Cebu in its pursuit for the return of the four pulpit panels taken from the heritage church in Boljoon town.
In the SPA, Palma designated the provincial government of Cebu, through Garcia as chief executive, to be his “true and lawful attorney-in-fact” to act on his behalf to pursue the return of the pulpit panels. The SPA, signed and notarized Sunday, gave Garcia “full power and authority” to carry out tasks to recover the panels.
During a press conference Monday, Garcia said that now that they have archdiocese’s imprimatur they will file graft and criminal complaints against National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) Director General Jeremy Barns over the delayed return of four pulpit panels.
Garcia said they will also sue the collector couple Edwin and Aileen Bautista, who were the ones who donated the four panels to the NMP, accusing them of violating the Anti-Fencing Law. The Archdiocese of Cebu issued a statement last year that the panels which they said have not been deconsecrated are considered stolen because their removal was not authorized.
Rappler asked Barns for a comment but he did not respond. His Facebook account, however, liked the Facebook livestream of the governor’s press conference.
Lawyer Rory Jon Sepulveda, Cebu capitol consultant, said Boljoon’s ownership of the panels was not even in question because NMP admitted it in official documents such as the deed of donation and in labels of the panels in their exhibit.
“We will be filing immediately before the Office of the Ombudsman criminal complaints against Barns for violations of section 3E and 3F. This is not just an ordinary case of anti-fencing, Mr. Barns. This is section 3E section 3F of Graft and Corrupt Practices Act,” Sepulveda said. The sections deal with undue injury to any party by public officials “through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence” and refusal to act on a matter within a reasonable time.
Meanwhile, Garcia also made a public call for the person holding the one last missing panel to return it.
The pulpit of the Archdiocesan Shrine of Patrocinio de Maria Santisima used to be adorned with six antique panels depicting Augustinian doctors of the church and the founder of the order. Four panels are with the NMP, one is on display at the parish museum, and one remains missing.
“I have an idea who is holding it but I’m addressing it to the possessor right now of the sixth panel. You can silently return it. You can leave it in the door of the residence of the Archbishop, send it to the Capitol and you will not be prosecuted because we will presume good faith. But you’re given fair warning,” Garcia said.
Father Brian Brigoli, chairman of the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church, and Monsignor Renato Beltran, chancellor of the archdiocese, represented the archdiocese at the press conference.
Brigoli said the Palma wrote Barns last July 25, 2024 denying the NMP’s request for a one-year loan of the panel displayed at the Boljoon museum. NMP wanted to also restore this panel. Palma also gave a counter-proposal stipulating that repair or restoration of the four panels start only after a memorandum of agreement (MOA) is entered into between the archdiocese and NMP. Palma also said the repair or restoration be done in Boljoon at an on-site restoration laboratory as an opportunity to train the locals for technology transfer of skills.
Garcia pointed out that Barns never answered this letter and the NMP proceeded with restoring the panels despite not meeting the conditions stipulated by Palma. She also questioned whether Barns shared the letter of Palma with the NMP Board of Trustees. Garcia said that the letter by Tourism Secretary Ma. Esperanza Christina Garcia-Frasco to NMP Chair Andoni Aboitiz indicated that she was not aware of the conditions set by Palma.
Frasco, Garcia’s daughter and former mayor of Liloan in Cebu, wrote Aboitiz last January 8, 2025 to offer “any assistance necessary” to facilitate the return of the panels. Frasco also asked Aboitiz for “more detailed information regarding the timeline for the restoration process, including the intended date for the National Museum of the Philippines to return the panels to the Boljoon Church.”
“I shudder to think what it will look like now. Who is doing the restoration? We’d like to know. Where are the panels now? That’s a question addressed to Director Barns. And if really nothing, no hanky-panky is going on, is it possible that we send some representatives to see just how these panels are now situated?” Garcia said.
The governor also called for the restorer to stop working on the panels and threatened to include them in the charges.
“What is to stop people from suspecting that restoration, in fact, will be replication? No amount of convincing will do when, mismo, the community will believe that this has been replicated, not restored, Garcia said.
The governor also said Barns’ actions on the issue was a “blatant insult” to the archdiocese. – Rappler.com
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