ALARMING. Deeply concerning.
This is how church leaders in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental described the Aug. 24 murder of Efren Banaglorioso in front of the Cosmopolitan Christian Church (CCC) along Circumferential Road, Bangga Cory, Barangay Taculing, in the “City of Smiles.”
Banaglorioso, a resident of Barangay Granada, Bacolod, was merely a driver of CCC, a Baptist church — an ordinary man with no known enemies.
But why are church leaders across denominations raising the alarm?
The answer is basic: the murder was committed right in front of the church.
Is this the first time in Bacolod? No.
On Feb. 19, 2019 — just over six years ago — businessman Alex Yao, known for his money-lending business, was also murdered within the compound of Redemptorist Church in Barangay 5, Bacolod.
The Yao murder remains unsolved to this day. Police are still facing a blank wall on this grisly crime, which shocked not only the business sector but also the city’s religious community.
Now, with Banaglorioso’s killing, Bacolod has a second case of church-related murder. Another infamous crime, indeed.
FAITH LEADERS SPEAK
Faith leaders in Bacolod and Negros Occidental have spoken out, condemning the brutality of murdering someone in front of the very house of the Lord.
Reverend Father Agustin Hinayan of the Roman Catholic Church said such an act desecrates the temple of God.
For Imam Abu Al-Jannah Nadela Carcauga of Masjed Abu Bhakar Al-Jidiq, the killing was “karumaldumal” (grisly), unfit, and unacceptable.
Pastor Jupiter Arela of the Cosmopolitan Evangelical Church in Bacolod described it as frightening.
And Ray Allan Drilon, former trial court judge and lay minister of Bacolod Evangelical Church, warned: “Now, we can say no one is safe even in the vicinity of God’s house.”
These voices of faith leaders reflect the collective horror stirred by the two recorded church murders in Bacolod.
Bacolod mayor Greg Gasataya also weighed in, calling Banaglorioso’s murder deeply concerning. He vowed not to allow lawless elements to rule Bacolod’s streets, stressing that the force of law must be used to stop syndicates from committing yet another crime within church grounds.
ARLIS KAY PERRY MURDER
When 19-year-old bride Arlis Kay Perry was murdered inside Stanford Memorial Church in California in 1974, a “cry blue murder” echoed across the United States.
The outrage was not just over Perry’s death, but over the desecration of the church’s sanctity. The same is happening now in Bacolod and Negros Occidental.
The second church murder — that of Banaglorioso — has led leaders of different denominations to likewise “cry blue murder.” What does this mean?
It is an idiomatic expression that refers to screaming or shouting loudly to draw the attention of leaders and authorities, urging them to stop such crimes within God’s house.
As Imam Carcauga stressed: “Whatever the motive behind the killing of Banaglorioso, still it is improper to kill him in front of Allah’s house.”
PRESSURE ON POLICE
The cry of Bacolod’s faith leaders is a direct challenge to police authorities — not only to stop grisly crimes in the community but also to finally solve both church murders: Yao’s and Banaglorioso’s.
Colonel Joeresty Coronica, director of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), admitted that Banaglorioso’s killing puzzled investigators.
“Maybe he was only a victim of mistaken identity,” Coronica said.
According to him, Banaglorioso had no derogatory record in Barangay Granada, where he lived, and had no links to drug syndicates in the city.
But Mayor Gasataya pressed Coronica to dig deeper into the case, demanding clarity on why Banaglorioso was murdered in broad daylight — and why it happened right in front of a church during a Sunday service.
‘SATANIC PANIC’
Murder, of course, is an unforgivable sin. All the more if committed within a sacred space.
Such acts can leave deep spiritual scars, shaking the faith of churchgoers and communities alike. Fear will naturally follow.
This is no ordinary case. It is a special crime that calls for Divine intervention, so that people may continue to trust in God and uphold the sanctity of His house.
Becoming bold enough to desecrate the Lord’s house is a curse in itself—horrendous, disturbing, and dangerous.
Modernization and digitalization should not lead to disregard for churches and their sacredness. This is not how a society should evolve.
Authorities must take heed. As retired judge Drilon pointed out, the reality that “no one is safe now even in the vicinity of God’s place” rings alarm bells.
Prayer, as Pastor Arela emphasized, is vital. But so too is police action to ensure everyone’s safety.
In the end, no matter how society changes, our collective efforts to stop criminals from committing blasphemy against our houses of faith remain essential.
Together with law enforcement, we must unite and act against the threat of a possible “satanic panic” staged by ruthless criminals who choose no place — not even God’s house — in their killings.
So sad. So bad!/PN
