Mabolo Church’s P400T collection money stolen
An academic scholar of St. Joseph the Patriarch Parish in Mabolo, Cebu City allegedly stole more than P400,000 in cash after mauling a former nun last Sunday night.
Alexander Lumapac is being tracked down by Station 4 personnel of the Cebu City Police.
Chief Insp. Jacinto Mandal, Police Station 4 commander, said that Lumapac mauled Roxanne Valmoria inside her quarters at the back of the church.
He said his investigators are considering the possibility of an inside job. The guard on duty at the time, Archie Ynot, said he failed to notice any commotion. He is included in the investigation.
Msgr. Alfredo Romanillos, parish team moderator, said, “We expect justice. We demand justice.”
Valmoria was taken to a hospital and survived.
After attacking Valmoria, the suspect got the keys from her, went inside the parish’s office and opened the steel cabinet containing the money collected from church offertories since last week.
The burglary was discovered at 6 a.m. yesterday after altar boy Ronilito Calamba went inside Valmoria’s quarters.
Calamba said he entered the quarters to give the collection of the first mass to Valmoria, who is tasked to keep the money. He saw Valmoria weak and bloodied.
At Cebu City Hall, Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella said the robbery is a wake-up call for other parishes.
He advised churches to deposit their money immediately instead of keeping it in the rectory.
“It should be deposited every now and then to the bank because that would attract would-be robbers,” Labella said.
Msgr. Joseph Tan, media liaison officer of the Archdiocese of Cebu, urged parishes to protect their assets. He said that while the incident is an isolated case, it serves as a lesson for parish administrators to ensure that their properties are safe from criminal elements.