Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma issued a Special Power of Attorney (SPA) in favor of Cebu Province through Gov. Gwen Garcia, empowering her as his attorney-in-fact to pursue legal actions against the director-general of the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP), Jeremy Barns.
The cause of legal action arises from Barns’ stubbornness in promptly returning to the Archdiocese of Cebu, particularly the Archdiocesan Shrine of Patrocinio de Maria Santisima in Boljoon, four pulpit panels that are in NMP’s possession after these were reported stolen from the Church in the 1980s.
These antique 19th century panels have carved depiction of St. Leo the Great, St. Augustine of Hippo, St. Thomas of Villanueva, St. Ambrose of Milan, St. Gregory the Great which have become prized possession of the NMP after these were donated by the couple Edwin and Aileen Bautista.
During a media briefing at the Governor’s Office on January 13, Fr. Brian Brigoli, chairman of the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church, said the NMP went on ahead with the “restoration” efforts despite failing to secure the approval of the Archbishop, which is again a violation that could be a subject of litigation.
During a meeting with the Archbishop sometime in May last year, NMP officials, led by Barns, initially agreed that before proceeding with the restoration, both parties shall sign an agreement, containing among others the conditions set by the Archdiocese.
Among these terms was that the restoration should be conducted in Boljoon, under the watchful eye of the archdiocese. Aside from passing on valuable restoration knowledge and practices to Cebu’s leading heritage enthusiasts, the Archdiocese may also rest assured that the panels that will be returned by NMP are the originals and not duplicates.
However, this initial agreement was set aside when NMP informed the Archbishop that it is already doing the restoration works on the panels in an undisclosed location. NMP even had the audacity to demand that the fifth and remaining panel in Boljoon be sent over to Manila so that it may complete the restoration of the whole set.
“One can only imagine why the need to do restoration in the secrecy of wherever these works are being done, without any witness from any of us. Makaduda, very suspicious actions. To say the least, disrespectful, insulting to the Archdiocese, to the Catholic Church, and to the Cebuanos,” Gov. Garcia said during the presscon.
“We have had enough, Mr. Barns. We will not take this lying down. I will leave no stone unturned until justice will be given to the Cebuanos,” she added.
Now that she has been given by the Archdiocese of Cebu the greenlight to do whatever she deems fit not only to recover the panels but to also exact accountability from Barns, Gov. Garcia gave a fair warning one last time.
“When it comes to the protection of Cebuano heritage and the Cebuanos, make no mistake about it: I’m a very dangerous enemy because I will stand up for the Cebuanos and what is our heritage, our culture,” she said.
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