Cebu Seeks Legal Clarity on Heritage Church Pulpit Panels

via Rappler, 08 April 2024: The Cebu provincial government is reaching out to the Office of the Solicitor General for legal advice regarding the dispute over pulpit panels from Boljoon’s heritage church, currently held by the National Museum of the Philippines. Governor Gwendolyn Garcia argues that the panels are integral to Cebu’s cultural heritage and seeks their return, challenging the museum’s interpretation of the OSG’s legal opinion. This controversy has sparked discussions between the NMP, Cebu officials, and Archbishop Jose Palma, with implications for the ownership and treatment of cultural and religious artifacts.

The Cebu provincial government will write to the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to clarify its legal opinion on the pulpit panels from the heritage church of Boljoon in southern Cebu that are now with the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP).

NMP Board of Trustees Chair Andoni Aboitiz visited the Capitol on Friday afternoon, April 5, to meet with Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, who gave NMP officials until last week to meet with her.

In an interview after their meeting, Garcia said that she clarified with Aboitiz that apart from being religious items, the four panels are also part of Cebu’s cultural heritage and history. She said the NMP should also recognize that both the Capitol and the Boljoon Municipal Government, through their respective legislative bodies, called for the return of the panels.

Source: Cebu to write to OSG on legal opinion over pulpit panels