2 Cotabato diocesan priests succumb to COVID-19

COTABATO CITY——-The Archdiocese of Cotabato announced the demise of two Diocesan Clergy of Cotabato (DCC) priests after contracting  COVID-19.

“It pained me to announce that our brother—priest, Fr. Loreto Sanoy expired at 8:25 p.m. Thursday,” Fr. Charlie Celeste, of the DCC said.

He later posted on social media more than four hours later that Fr. Rex Bacero also expired, at around 1 a.m. on Saturday.

Both priests belonged to the DCC and were also from Cotabato City. Sanoy was 78 while Bacero, 52.

Their ashes are now at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral mausoleum after the cremation, said Fr. Ben Torreto, DCC, rector of the Cathedral parish.

They were isolated at the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center last week after showing symptoms of COVID-19 infection. They later tested positive for the virus.

Sanoy was ordained a priest on April 8, 1983.  He was assigned to various parishes in the archdiocese, including as rector of Notre Dame Archdiocesan Seminary. He was the parochial vicar of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary parish at the time of his death.

Bacero was ordained to the priesthood on April 25, 1995. He was formerly the superintendent of Archdiocesan Notre Dame schools.

At the time of his death, Bacero was president of Notre Dame of Salaman College in Lebak town and Notre Dame of Kalamansig, both in Sultan Kudarat province.

A parish worker where Sanoy was assigned also died of COVID-19 and Masses at the Our Lady of Rosary Parish in Cotabato City, including chapel masses, were canceled for two weeks.