Arson probe stalled by row between seminarians, bishop

CITY OF CALAPAN—The police investigation of the burning of a Catholic-run radio station in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, has been hampered by a reported conflict between seminarians and the bishop running the vicariate.

Seminarians at the St. Joseph College Seminary have transferred to other schools in the province but not after circulating a one-page “open letter” that appealed to Bishop Antonio Palang, SVD, to act on issues in the vicariate.

In October, fire hit radio station dzVT and the finance office of the chancery located at the seminary compound, both of which are run by the vicariate. Initial results of police investigation said the arsonist “could be an employee of the Church.” Damage caused by both fires was placed at P10 million.

The 21 seminarians who signed the letter dated November 10 said they were unhappy at the seminary as it was no longer providing a conducive environment for their formation.

The seminarians cited the armed men who roamed the compound while investigations into the incident were ongoing.

Addressing Palang, the seminarians said the bishop alone could solve the problems in the vicariate because he knew what was at the root of the events.

They lamented that Palang never showed up to ask them about their situation. “As a father you should have been awakened from a long slumber and lack of concern to all the events that we have at this time.”

They called on parish-based communities to be involved in solving the issues and to pray that the bishop would realize that they were one Church and one community.

The bishop refused to comment on the letter and referred the Inquirer to the faculty members of the seminary.

The minutes of their meeting dated November 15 showed that seven of the seminary’s 10 faculty members continued to fully support their bishop.

Chief Superintendent Artemio Hicban, police regional director of Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) in earlier reports said they had identified the person who brought the gas (used to ignite the fire at the station and chancery) “but we still need to get the testimony of (a key) witness.”

Asked when the investigation on the fire would be completed, Chief Inspector Edwin Fiel Gutang, San Jose chief of police, had said that “it would depend on the cooperation of the people involved.”