Another Bukidnon priest dies of COVID-19

MALAYBALAY CITY (BukidnonNews.Net/04 May 2021) The Diocese of Malaybalay announced the death Tuesday of another of its priests due to COVID-19 complications.

The announcement said Fr. Pablo Salengua, parish priest of the Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, Dalirig, Manolo Fortich, died at around 12:15pm.

The attending doctor at the Northern Mindanao Medical Center in Cagayan de Oro City declared Fr. Salengua dead after days of bout against Covid-19 complications.

The 67-year old priest served for 34 years in various parishes.

His first assignment was as parish priest of Impasug-ong (1987 – 1989), assistant parish priest of Kisolon (1989 – 1992), parish priest of Kalabugao, Impasug-ong town (1989 – 1997), parish priest of Guinuyuran, Valencia City (1997 – 1999), parish priest of Wao (Lanao del Sur) (1999 – 2001), assistant parish priest of Kalilangan (1999), Indigenous Peoples' Apostolate Coordinator (2000), parish priest of Valencia (2001), assistant parish priest of Malaybalay (2007 – 2012), assistant parish priest of Manolo Fortich (2013 to 2016), and finally parish priest of Dalirig (2017 – 2021).    

Salengua was the fourth diocesan priest in Bukidnon who died this year, and the second to succumb to COVID-19.  Fr. Diomedes “Jojo” Brigoli died on May 1. Fr. Rene Regalado was shot in January by still unknown gunmen while Fr. Joel Tuquib died of cardiac arrest last month. Another priest in the diocese, 84-year old Fr. Columbano Adag, OSB of the Abbey of Transfiguration, also died last month but not due to COVID. 

The Dalirig and the Libona parishes were both closed in relation to the COVID situation caused by the death of Fr. Brigoli and the infection of Fr. Salengua, and eventual death. 

The Diocese also locked down the Bishop’s House in Malaybalay City. But in a post in Facebook today, the Diocese announced that all the tests conducted on all bishop’s house personnel turned out to be negative.

“The Bishop’s House compound lockdown will only be from May 2 to 6, 2021. They announced further that the SID Press, the Chancery Office and the Bishop’s House Office are temporarily closed and services will resume on May 7, 2021 or until further notice. (BukidnonNews.Net))