Fr. Chito Suganob, held captive by terrorists during the Marawi siege, passes away
COTABATO CITY, Philippines — The priest who was held captive by Maute terrorists as they laid siege to dozens of barangays in Marawi City for five months in 2017 died on Wednesday.
Fr.Teresito “Chito” Suganob passed away in his family's ancestral home in Norala town in South Cotabato, relatives and sources from the Catholic religious community in the province told reporters Wednesday.
Bishop Edwin Dela Peña of the Marawi Prelate has confirmed the demise of Suganob, most known as the bearded "Fr. Chito."
"It is with great sadness that we make this announcement on behalf of the Prelature of Marawi. Our dearly beloved Fr. Teresito Suganob died of cardiac arrest this morning, July 22, 2020," Bishop dela Peña wrote on his Facebook.
Suganob was held captive by the Maute terror group during the deadly conflict in Marawi City that lasted from May 23 to October 16, 2017.
He was snatched by Islamic State-inspired militants and was used as "human shield" as they fought soldiers and police officers in a series of encounters that left more than a thousand people dead.
The hostilities displaced more than 300,000 residents and left dozens of centuries-old enclaves in Marawi City in ruins.
Suganob was relieved from his local pastoral missions after government forces liberated Marawi City from Maute terrorists. He last spoke to reporters in June where he clarified that he has not been given any missionary roles since he left Marawi City.
He then said he reported periodically to the Diocese of Marbel in Koronadal City, around half an hour away from Norala, his hometown.
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