Burglar steals church money, returns it later

CEBU, Philippines - An unidentified burglar broke into the house of the treasurer of Saint Augustine Parish Pastoral Council in San Fernando Sunday morning and stole over P100,000 cash but returned the bulk of the amount a day after.

Also on Sunday, a Mormon church in Carcar City lost a computer set to an unidentified burglar. 

Maria Taña Benigra, 58, of Barangay Cabatbatan, San Fernando, reported to the town’s police station that the unidentified thief broke into her house while she and her husband were out.

Benigra said she went out at 5 a.m. to hear a Mass, leaving her husband at home. Apparently the husband also left the house, giving the burglar the opportunity to strike.

“Misimba siya alas-singko,  alas- otso mibiya iyang bana. Pagbalik niya sa alas-onse abli na ang kusina, guba na ang bintana, ang glass jalousie gitangtang mga lima ka blade. Didto nisulod sa iyang kuwarto ug sa tindahan,” said PO1 Erwin Oyao, desk officer of San Fernando Police Station.

Benigra said she lost a total of P101,000 including the P83,000 mo-ney of the parish pastoral council intended for the repair of their church. However, the victim was surprised to see that P92,000 was returned yesterday morning. The money was left by unidentified person near her house.

 “Ang biktima niari ganihang buntag, ni-report nga ang kuwarta giuli, ang nauli P92,000. Posible nakonsinsiya kay daghan kaayong tawo ang nangutana (kun) madayon gyud (ang) pag-ayo sa simbahan,” Oyao said.

Meanwhile, the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints in Pob-lacion I, Carcar City also lost a computer set to still unidentified burglar.

Bishop Antonio Sabala Jr. reported that the burglar broke into his office by destroying the window grills. The burglar also tried but failed to destroy the safety vault in the adjacent room to the bishop’s office.

The police are still investigating the incident to identify the persons responsible for the two separate burglary incidents. (FREEMAN)