Missing statue of saint returned to Valenzuela through GMA
The image of San Antonio de Padua, patron saint of missing persons and things, has finallly been found. A group of men, who declined to be identified, returned the life-size marble statue at around 1 p.m. on Thursday at the GMA Network Center in Quezon City.
Several days ago, the statue was reported missing from the San Diego de Alcala Church in Valenzuela City.
The guard at the GMA main gate said one of the men told him to bring the statue to the news room.
"Para raw maipalaalam sa publiko na naisoli na ang imahe ng patron," said Jose Valenzuela Jr., a descendant of the late revolutionary hero, Dr. Pio Valenzuela, the owner of the statue.
Valenzuela, however, said some items included in the statue were missing – namely its crown and belt which are partly made of pure gold and the symbol of the sunrays at the top of the child's head being cuddled by Saint Anthony, the patron of the missing articles, sick children, the poor, and the starving.
The disappearance of the statue was first published in the tabloid People's Tonight last week after Valenzuela sought asked media to help find the statue.
The revolutionary hero, who died in 1956, lent the statue to the church in the 1950s upon the request of its devotees. In the late 1890s, the elder Valenzuela tried to convince Jose Rizal, while in exile in Dapitan, to give support to the Katipunan.
The Valenzuela family was alarmed when they learned that its parish priest Rev. Fr. Marcelo Sanchez allegedly sold it to certain Cris Perez, a.ka.Cris Pineda, an antique collector for only P150,000.
Last Wednesday, the Valenzuela family threatened to file criminal charges against the priest if he could not produce the statue by next week.
Jose Valenzuela said they would no longer return the statue to the church.
"Sa bahay na lang namin dadalhin ang statue para wala ng magka-interes na ibenta ito," he said. - GMANews.TV
Several days ago, the statue was reported missing from the San Diego de Alcala Church in Valenzuela City.
The guard at the GMA main gate said one of the men told him to bring the statue to the news room.
"Para raw maipalaalam sa publiko na naisoli na ang imahe ng patron," said Jose Valenzuela Jr., a descendant of the late revolutionary hero, Dr. Pio Valenzuela, the owner of the statue.
Valenzuela, however, said some items included in the statue were missing – namely its crown and belt which are partly made of pure gold and the symbol of the sunrays at the top of the child's head being cuddled by Saint Anthony, the patron of the missing articles, sick children, the poor, and the starving.
The disappearance of the statue was first published in the tabloid People's Tonight last week after Valenzuela sought asked media to help find the statue.
The revolutionary hero, who died in 1956, lent the statue to the church in the 1950s upon the request of its devotees. In the late 1890s, the elder Valenzuela tried to convince Jose Rizal, while in exile in Dapitan, to give support to the Katipunan.
The Valenzuela family was alarmed when they learned that its parish priest Rev. Fr. Marcelo Sanchez allegedly sold it to certain Cris Perez, a.ka.Cris Pineda, an antique collector for only P150,000.
Last Wednesday, the Valenzuela family threatened to file criminal charges against the priest if he could not produce the statue by next week.
Jose Valenzuela said they would no longer return the statue to the church.
"Sa bahay na lang namin dadalhin ang statue para wala ng magka-interes na ibenta ito," he said. - GMANews.TV
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