Thieves take Simbang Gabi offerings

BAGUIO CITY – Thieves greeted the advent of Christmas, not by repenting for their sins, but by carting away at least P50,000 worth of church offerings and donations from parishioners here Tuesday, police said.

Monsignor Leopoldo Jaucian of the Baguio Cathedral noticed the offerings made during the first Misa de Gallo were stolen after attending to the hundreds of parishioners at the end of the 4 a.m. pre-dawn Mass.

The offerings were brought to the cathedral office after the Mass.

Undeterred by the presence of policemen deployed around the cathedral, the suspects saw their chance to steal while Jauican was exchanging pleasantries with the Mass attendees.

The prelate said he was dismayed by the incident especially since it took place while the faithful were celebrating the start of the nine-day Catholic tradition.

A resident meanwhile lamented the lapse in police security.

“Kung magawa sa sentro ng siyudad, ’di lalo na sa mga bara-barangay,” Rolando Gimenez said.

The incident was the latest in recent weeks of reported robberies.

The other week, robbers broke into a drugstore along Session Road during the wee hours.

Several weeks before that, offices at the foot of the Baguio Cathedral were also broken into by robbers.