BACOLOD City – The suspect in the theft of the monstrance kept in San Sebastian Cathedral’s Adoration Chapel in Bacolod City was finally caught by the police on Sunday morning, Dec. 31, 2023.
A monstrance is a vessel used in Roman Catholic churches to display the consecrated Eucharistic host.
Major Elmer Bonilla, commander of Police Station 1, identified the suspect as Edmar Yanson, a resident of the city’s Barangay 12.
According to Bonilla, Yanson went inside the Adoration Chapel early Saturday night, Dec. 30, 2023, and stole the monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament.
The monstrance was valued at around P30,000.
The theft was discovered by one of the cathedral workers, and police were immediately alerted.
Bonilla said Yanson’s plan to sell off the monstrance quickly foiled after posts from both the cathedral and the Diocese of Bacolod’s official social media pages went viral on social media.
Yanson later wrapped the monstrance in a bag and left it at the gates of the cathedral where it was discovered on Sunday morning.
Bonilla said church officials expressed their intention to file theft charges against Yanson, who is currently detained at Police Station 1. (Watchmen Daily Journal)/PN
