A man drove his tricycle into a church in Binalbagan town, Negros Occidental while a Holy Mass was going on at 6:30 a.m. of April 3, 2024.

The tricycle rammed into pews and the altar of San Isidro Parish Church. Afterwhich, the man ran toward the images of saints and started knocking them down. The images were shattered including the image of the church’s patron saint.

Police arrested the man immediately.

"So nang natumba na, bumangon siya at tumakbo doon sa altar at pinagtutumba ang mga santos (imahe),” Lieutenant Glen Portunes, deputy chief of police of Binalbagan Municipal Police Station, said.

The man said he heard voices in his head directing him to have the images toppled and destroyed including the image of Jesus Christ.

Fr. Leopoldo Cahilig, the priest officiating the Holy Mass, said he was dumbstruck by the act.

“Sinira nya ang Santo Kristo sa tabi ng altar. Natulala nga ako,” Fr. Cahilig said.

The Diocese of Kabankalan issued an official statement on the incident citing the pain and suffering of churchgoers while witnessing an act of desecration. 

“While the physical and external damages may cause so much burden to the parish, it is the internal injury to the minds and hearts of the faithful that concern more to us. Witnessing desecration of the sanctuary and utter disrespect to the revered images generated so much pain and suffering to the people of the parish. Thus, while the restoration of the broken images is urgent, the reparation of the internal injury and pain is even paramount," the statement reads. 

The statement enumerated the shattered images to be that of Sain Joseph, San Isidro Labrador, Immaculate Conception, two angels, and the Crucifix. 

"The Tabernacle was also disfigured,” the statement added.

The Local Government Unit of Binalbagan, also in a statement, ensured that an incident of similar nature would not happen again in the town.

The suspect is now detained at the Binalbagan Police Station.

“Ready na ang kaso. Either malicious mischief or alarm and scandal. Pagtutulungan namin ng simbahan para mapursige ang kaso,” Portunes added.

The church is closed temporarily to give way to restoration works on the destroyed images.