The Cebu provincial government is set to file civil and criminal charges against National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) director general Jeremy Barns for retaining four “stolen” pulpit panels from Boljoon’s Nuestra Señora del Patrocinio de Maria Santísima Parish Church.
The charges include violations of the Anti-Fencing Law, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009, along with ethical misconduct.
Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, in partnership with the Archdiocese of Cebu and Boljoon, said legal action became necessary after repeated appeals to Barns went unanswered.
The pulpit panels, depicting saints like St. Augustine, were stolen in the 1980s and donated to the NMP by private collectors in 2024.
Garcia emphasized the cultural and religious significance of the panels, stressing the provincial government’s role in safeguarding Cebu’s heritage.
Source: PhilNews24 | January 16, 2025
