• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
More than a week it was stolen from a private museum in Silay City, Negros Occidental, the 88-year old painting of national artist Fernando Amorsolo was recovered on July 11 by operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation in Quezon City.
Members of the National Bureau of Investigation-Special Task Force (NBI-STF) arrested two suspects for selling the stolen Amorsolo painting during an entrapment operation in Quezon City.
In a statement, NBI director Jaime Santiago disclosed that they received information that a certain “Atty. Ching” was selling the Amorsolo painting in Quezon City.
Santiago said the stolen 1936 painting, titled “Mango Harvesters” was being sold at a price of P3.5 million.
According to the NBI, an entrapment operation was immediately conducted at Tomas Morato in Quezon City on Thursday, where the two suspects, identified as Ritz Chona Ching and Donecio Somaylo delivered the stolen painting, as instructed by the seller, “Atty. Ching.”
Upon confirmation that the painting brought in was the stolen Amorsolo, Santiago said the two suspects were immediately arrested for possession and selling stolen property in violation of P.D. 1612, otherwise known as the Anti-Fencing Law.
The two arrested suspects were presented yesterday for inquest proceedings before the Department of Justice.
The Amorsolo painting was stolen on July 3 from the museum of Hofilena family at Cinco de Noviembre Street in Silay City, Negros Occidental, reportedly by two suspects,who joined a group of six persons during a tour, leaving the museum with the painting in a bag, as reported by the police.
Silay City Mayor Joedith Gallego offered a P25,000 reward for the recovery of the stolen painting.
After its recovery, it was brought to the National Museum where it was authenticated to be the real one, according to the NBI.
The 80-year-old masterpiece is said to be valued at P10 million.
“The painting is about our heritage. It shows how early life was in the Philippines. Amorsolo was the first to paint about everyday activities of Filipinos,” according to Jeremey Barnes, Director General of the National Museum of the Philippines.
The NBI is coordinating with the Hofileña family, which owns the painting, to wrap up their investigation.*
