Iligan diocese’s Bishop Galido dies, he was 64

Bishop Elenito Galido of the Diocese of Iligan in Lanao del Norte died on Tuesday evening,  years after battling  cirrhosis of the liver. He was  64.

Marawi Bishop Edwin Dela Peña told church-run Radyo Veritas on Wednesday morning: “Kagabi, I lost my co-worker in the Marawi relief and rehabilitation program. Dapat dagdagan itong aking pagsisikap na maibangon ang Marawi."

Also, Dela Peña said that Galido was indefatigable partner in the task of rehabilitating  Marawi.”

In a report, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines news site said Galido is the seventh Catholic bishop to die this year in the country.

Bishop Galido died on Tuesday at 10:11 p.m.

CBCP News site reported that the late bishop had undergone medication after he was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver few years ago, and that he was also diabetic.

Galido had been in the Intensive Care Unit after being in a coma at the Mercy Hospital in Iligan City where he was rushed last week, the report added.

Marawi rehabilitation 

Marawi's Bishop Dela Peña said that he lost a helping hand in the church's efforts in rehabilitating war-ravaged Marawi City.

"Ang obispo [Galido] ang pangunahing tumulong sa Prelatura ng Marawi sa kasagsagan ng digmaan noon sa pagitan ng Maute-ISIS group. Ang Iligan ang naging pansamantalang kanlungan ng may 200,000 sa higit 300,000 mga residente ng Marawi City," he said.

Galido was born on April 18, 1954, and was ordained as priest in 1979.

In March 2006, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as bishop of Iligan, becoming the fourth prelate to hold the post.

At that time, he was serving as associate priest at the St. Francis de Sales Church in Brooklyn, New York, while completing his master’s degree in Pastoral Counseling and Spiritual Care.

He was ordained bishop on September 8, 2006.

He had also served as the chairman of the Commission on Culture of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. —LBG, GMA News