Over Inayawan Chapel lot dispute: Cardinal bars priests from celebrating Mass

The people of barangay Inayawan, Cebu City will be celebrating the feast of their patron, Saint Augustine, on Sunday but Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal is reportedly not allowing any priest to celebrate Holy Mass at the chapel of the said barangay.

Inayawan barangay secretary Manolo Villareal said that Rev. Fr. Domingo Saladaga, the parish priest of nearby Laray (Inayawan) Parish, informed them that Cardinal Vidal prohibited priests from offering Holy Mass inside the old barangay chapel because the “structure is involved in a dispute over lot ownership.”

“Gusto unta mi nga bisan karon na lang tuiga nga makapahigayon og misa diha pero kay dili man g’yod pwede, nakahukom na lang mi nga maghimo’g gamay’ng kapilya diri sa yuta sakop sa barangay hall aron duna g’yoy misa,” the barangay secretary told The FREEMAN.

It was learned that the old concrete barangay chapel is situated on the lot owned by the Jaca family. Also, there reportedly are other claimants to portions of the said lot.

Records showed that the heirs of Enrique Jaca have filed a civil case against Marilou Marabiles also known as Marilou Jaca-Juanero and that the Regional Trial Court has already declared the plaintiffs as the real owners of the lot.

While the barangay officials headed by barangay captain Rustico Ignacio have decided to hold the offering of Holy Masses at the barangay’s tennis court where the temporary chapel is constructed, some of the residents are not in favor of such move.

The group headed by former barangay captain and chapel president Warlito Jaca has decided to continue holding religious activities at the old chapel.

When the nine-day religious celebration was opened last Friday, there reportedly were two groups of people conducting separate parades – the group of Ignacio who wore white T-shirts, while the other group sported on red shirts.

Ignacio managed to convince the priest to celebrate a Mass at the tennis court in front of the newly built chapel, while the group of the former barangay captain also had their novena at the nearby old chapel.

“Nahimo na hinoon mi nga kataw-anan ani kay duha ka religious activities ang gihimo diri sa Inayawan pero usa ra ang santos,” one of the residents said. – Rene U. Borromeo/MEEV