The Diocese of Malaybalay has ordered the temporary closure of two parish churches in Bukidnon following the death of a parish priest from “COVID-19 complications” while another parish priest is still confined at the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) here.
The shutdown in Bukidnon came barely a week after the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro ordered the temporary closure of six churches in Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental due to COVID-19.
Fr. Diomedes Brigoli, parish priest of Libona, died Saturday night at the NMMC, while another parish priest, Father Pablo Salengua, is remains in C, said Fr. Virgilio Delfin, spokesperson of the Diocese of Malaybalay.
Delfin said the Nazareno parish church in Libona and the Sts. Peter & Paul in Dalirig, Manolo Fortich were ordered closed.
“Their closure is indefinite until such time their towns’ local inter-agency task force opens them,” Delfin said.
Delfin said attending doctors declared Brigoli dead at 8:15 pm Saturday “due to COVID-19 complications.”
Last week, Father Der John Faborada, head of the Cagayan de Oro archdiocese’s Social Action Center, said six priests were infected and their churches were closed for ten days. (Froilan Gallardo / MindaNews)
