• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
An Islam convert, who on Wednesday ran amok and destroyed religious figures at the San Isidro Parish Church in Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, was charged yesterday before the Negros Occidental Provincial Prosecutor’s Office for malicious mischief and offending religious feelings, under Article 133 of the Revised Penal, town deputy police chief PLt. Glenn Portunes said.
The suspect, identified as Rolly Semira, a 39-year-old tricycle driver, of Brgy. San Teodoro, Binalbagan, was immediately arrested by the Binalbagan police after the incident.
Semira, an Islam convert, drove his tricycle into the church, while a mass was being officiated by Fr. Leopoldo Cahilig was ongoing at the San Isidro Labrador Parish Church on Wednesday.
He is now detained at the Binalbagan police custodian facility.
Initial police investigations showed that the suspect destroyed several religious figures after the tricycle that he drove into the church hit some pews, as the parishioners and the priest looked on, shocked by his actuations.
As a result of the incident, the Church of San Isidro Labrador was closed for two days, starting April 3, “while we try to fix ‘externally’ – the physical damages in the sanctuary and ‘internally’ – the injury and pain felt by all Catholics in Binalbagan caused by this untoward incident,” parish priest Fr. Leopoldo Cahilig, said in a statement.
Binalbagan Mayor Alejandro Mirasol and the Muslim community in Binalbagan have condemned the incident.*
