In Catbalogan City
(PHOTO COURTESY, JHONIL BAJADO)
TACLOBAN CITY — The demolition of a memorial monument in Catbalogan City, Samar, honoring the thousands who perished in the tragic 1987 collision between the M/V Doña Paz and oil tanker M/T Vector, has sparked outrage among local officials and residents, especially those who lost loved ones in the world’s deadliest peacetime maritime disaster.
For Lourdes Singzon, the destruction of the Pieta monument is not only shocking but deeply disrespectful to the memory of the victims and their families.
“We were all shocked by the demolition of the Pieta monument. It is not just a simple monument—it is a symbol of remembrance and honor for those who died in the M/V Doña Paz tragedy,” she told the Inquirer in an online interview on Sunday, April 6.
Singzon lost her mother-in-law, Petra Singzon, her aunt Nenita Villapaz, and several other relatives and friends in the December 20, 1987 disaster, which claimed the lives of more than 4,000 people, many of them from Catbalogan City.
Another relative of the victims, who gave her name only as C.V., 57, also expressed grief over the destruction of the marble Pieta monument.
“We are very sad. Because we were never able to recover the bodies of our mother, father, and youngest sibling. The Pieta was a place that gave honor to their memory. It was a symbol of love and remembrance,” she said.
Both Singzon and C.V. appealed to the Diocese of Calbayog—reported to be the owner of the land where the monument stood—not to convert the site into a commercial area.
The area, located beside St. Bartholomew Church in the heart of Catbalogan, is reportedly leased by the Diocese of Calbayog to Shakey’s, a well-known restaurant chain.
The centerpiece of the 1,300-square-meter park was the 5×5-meter Pieta statue, crafted from Italian marble in 1995 by Catbalogan artist Alejandro Villarin and commissioned by a group of Catbaloganons, including actress Tessie Tomas. The statue depicted the Virgin Mary cradling the lifeless body of Jesus Christ—a powerful religious image and a heartfelt tribute to the victims of the M/V Doña Paz–M/T Vector tragedy.
Attempts to get a statement from the Calbayog Diocese in Calbayog City on Monday were made by LSDE through phone calls and social media messages, but the diocese said it has no response at this time.
On Sunday night, hundreds of relatives of the victims held a vigil at the site, pleading with the diocese to abandon plans to commercialize the area.
“We are not against development in our city—I’m a businesswoman myself. But our appeal is to leave the Pieta structure untouched. It’s the only place where we can honor and remember our loved ones, especially during the disaster anniversary and All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days,” Singzon said.
Jhonil Bajado, a history professor and curator of the Samar State University Museum and Archives, also lamented the demolition.
“I vehemently abhor this desecration of a religious and historical structure that gives remembrance to the memory of those who perished in the Doña Paz tragedy,” he said in a separate online interview.
“The demolition of Pieta Park came like a thief in the night and robbed us of the collective effort to honor our fellow Samarnons,” he added.
Bajado, who was among the first to publicly denounce the demolition on social media, said that it was unfortunate that the local Church did not conduct any consultation with its faithful on the matter.
In a Facebook post dated April 5, Catbalogan Mayor Dexter Uy expressed strong opposition to the park’s demolition and conversion into a business site.
“The city government of Catbalogan expresses deep concern over the unauthorized demolition and development activities… at Pieta Park,” Uy said.
He said that when he learned the area had been fenced off and construction equipment brought in on April 3, he immediately directed the City Engineering Office to issue a notice of violation to the franchisee.
The notice ordered the immediate stoppage of all unauthorized construction activities, required the party to coordinate with the engineering office within three days to submit proper documentation for a building permit, and warned that failure to comply would prompt legal action.
Despite this, Uy said, demolition continued and the Pieta statue was already destroyed by the time the order was served.
It was learned that work stopped on Saturday, April 5.
Uy also revealed that in a phone conversation with the franchise holder—whom he did not name—the latter claimed the demolition had the knowledge and consent of local Church officials, including Bishop Isabelo Abarquez.
“Rest assured, the city government remains committed to preserving the heritage and cultural spaces of Catbalogan while ensuring all development projects follow the law,” he said.
The park has been classified under the “parks and plazas” category in the city’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan and was declared a cultural heritage site by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines in 2018.
Meanwhile, Shakey’s Philippines, in an open letter released on Sunday, issued an apology, calling it an “unfortunate situation involving one of our franchisees.”
“We recognize our franchise partner’s intention to relocate and enhance the landmark to a new site, and we are deeply disheartened by the accident that caused damage to La Pieta,” the statement said.
“While we aspire to bring Shakey’s to Catbalogan, our priority at this time is to help rectify the situation and respectfully do what is right for the community,” it added.
For his part, Ariel Donceras, president of the Catbalogan City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also opposed the destruction of the park.
“I know we need progress and development. We want more jobs and better business opportunities. But progress should never come at the expense of our faith and our values,” he said in his social media post.
“This place is not just about religion, it’s also about respecting our past and making sure that next generation sees the importance of faith,” Donceras added.
JOEY A. GABIETA, ROEL T. AMAZONA, RONALD O. REYES
