KUALA LUMPUR: An evening of solemn vespers for the Catholic minority in Marawi City was violently interrupted when Islamic State (IS)-inspired militants broke into the St. Mary’s Cathedral on May 23, the Daily Tribune reported.
Citing an unnamed parishioner who related the events that occurred, the daily reported that parishioners were in the midst of novena prayers in honour of their church’s patroness Mary, Our Lady Help of Christians, whose feast day fell on May 24, when one of the armed men began looking for the congregation’s leader, Bishop Edwin de la Peña.
The parishioner, who narrated the story in a Facebook message, said since the Bishop could not be found, they instead abducted a priest and a number of devotees.
The Marawi City resident is one of several volunteers now guarding Bishop de la Peña, whose house was seized and torched by Islamic extremists.
Reports have stated that the Catholic priest who was abducted was Father Teresito “Chito” Suganob, the bishop’s second in command, or the Vicar General of the Territorial Prelature of Marawi.
Four other parishioners are also held captive, namely Maria Luisa Colina, along with three others identified only as Sam, Wendell and Wilbert.
The daily’s source said that they were shocked to learn from a news report on GMA-7 that nine Christians were found dead at a checkpoint manned by the Maute Group.
To date, the condition of those taken captive is unclear, but those who were not abducted from the church were advised by the rebels to tell state security forces to suspend offensives against them.
Bishop de la Peña was able to voice out their appeal through an interview over Manila-based radio dzMM.
“They negotiated with me for me to make an appeal to the military not to pursue them and to declare a ceasefire,” de la Peña was quoted as saying by the daily.
“(Fr. Chito) was not a combatant. He was not bearing arms. He was a threat to none. His capture and that of his companions violates every norm of civilised conflict,” he appealed further.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law on the country’s southern island of Mindanao after about 100 Muslim fighters laid siege to Marawi City following a deadly gun battle with government forces on Tuesday.