City council to probe Molo convent renovation

ILOILO CITY—The renovation of the old convent of the historic Molo Church, considered to be an Important Cultural Property, will be investigated by the city council.

The council acted on the motion of Councilor Plaridel Nava to take up the stoppage order issued by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) against Msgr. Maurillo Silva, the administrator of the St. Anne Parish Church.

Manila Bulletin broke the story late last month after it obtained a copy of the cease and desist letter issued by NHCP Acting Executive Director Ludovico Badoy.

NHCP reiterated that as an Important Cultural Property, the renovation of the Molo convent violates the Philippine Cultural Heritage Act, which requires a permit before any changes to the convent area allowed.

“Monsignor Silva knowingly and deliberately set aside and ignored legal process and took it upon himself the ascendancy to decide the fate of our national cultural and religious heritage,” noted Nava in his privilege speech.

The issue reached the councilor after he received a letter from Silva soliciting a donation for the renovation of the convent, which is supposed to be finished in time for the Molo Fiesta celebration on July 26.

Iloilo City Engineer Roberto Divinagrcia also issued a notice of stoppage order, saying the project violated the National Building Code because it lacks a building permit.

“Despite the orders, Monsignor Silva is still defiant and continues with his illegal activities within a national cultural and heritage site,” Nava said.

Silva claimed that NHCP had lifted the cease and desist order, but this was denied by Badoy.

“How can I lift the order when there was no request?” Badoy told Manila Bulletin in a phone interview Wednesday.

The city council has not yet scheduled a date for the investigation.