Quarrel leads to church closure in Isabela town

RAMON, Isabela—The Catholic church of Oscariz village has been shut down for the last five months, following arguments over Church collections and other issues raised against the local priest and members of the parish pastoral council.

The church was renowned here for keeping twin bells that were cast in Europe in 1882. It had served the community since the Spanish colonial period and had even survived World War II.

Photographs of the church show a heavy padlock over its gates, and a pastoral letter that tried to explain the circumstances behind its closure.

The pastoral letter was signed by Fr. Michael Linga, Ramon parish priest, Bishop Joseph Nacua of the Diocese of Ilagan, and Dr. Mariano Guiab, parish pastoral council president.

The letter also said that by their act, the people who quarreled with the church leaders “did not respect the house of God.”

Francisco Yee Jr., president of Basic Ecclesiastical Community (BEC), said his group was only expressing its sentiments on issues affecting the Church when they confronted the priest.

He said one of the concerns was a new policy that required the Church to collect up to 30 percent in money and other donations.

Only 20 percent was collected for the local parish during the time of Bishop Sergio Utleg, who was later reassigned as bishop of the Diocese of Laoag City.

The BEC also had issues against Linga, who allegedly berated BEC officials for the low Sunday church attendance.

He allegedly told Yee that if the attendance did not increase, they should convert the sprawling church, which sits on a two-hectare land, into a basketball court.

Interviewed at the parish house, Linga confirmed making these statements. But he said the utterances were “contextual.” He did not elaborate.

“There are ecclesiastical issues that will be decided by the bishop (of Ilagan),” said Linga, who has been Ramon parish priest since 2009.

“The church building is owned by the people. The Ramon parish and the diocese did not spend a single centavo for its construction—and it should not be closed,” said Nila Lopez, 51, a university instructor.

Mariano Jacinto, 81, whose great grandfathers founded Oscariz and helped build the original thatch and cogon church, said he could not understand why it was closed. “It is the first time the church [has been] closed,” he said.

Emil Paddayuman, 63, a volunteer church worker, said, “The priest actually scattered his flock because we have to go to Santiago City, 16 kilometers away, for church services.”

“Did the priest (Linga) and the bishop (Nacua) also commit lapses in judgment as did the Mindanao bishop who asked former President [Gloria Macapagal] Arroyo for money for the purchase of an expensive car as birthday gift?” said Estelita Pasion, 45, who claimed to have attended every Mass at Oscariz Church for the last 20 years.

Virginia Antalan, 75, of neighboring Ambatali village, said she cried when she learned about the closure of the church. “That’s where I was baptized,” she said. Peter La. Julian, Contributor