Retired Sorsogon bishop dies

MANILA, Philippines — Former Bishop Arturo Bastes of the Diocese of Sorsogon died yesterday at the age of 80.

In a post on social media, the Diocese of Sorsogon announced that Bastes, who belonged to the Society of the Divine Word congregation, passed away at 6:30 a.m. at his brother’s residence in Cainta.

The diocese asked the public to join Sorsogon Bishop Jose Alan Dialogo and the Sorsogon clergy in praying and offering sacrifices for Bastes, who had been a priest for 54 years.

Bastes was bishop for 27 years. He headed the Diocese of Sorsogon for 16 years.

He was a native of Loboc, Bohol and was ordained as a priest on Nov. 28, 1970. His first assignment as a bishop was Romblon. He retired in 2019.