Philippine archbishop dies in Mindanao

Dec 17, 2021

MINDANAO: Catholics in the Philippines are mourning Archbishop Romulo de la Cruz of Zamboanga, who died after a long illness. He was 74.

The prelate, who served the archdiocese in the southern Mindanao region for seven years, died late on Dec 10 in a local hospital, the archdiocese announced at the weekend.

Archbishop de la Cruz was admitted to hospital with an “erratic heartbeat,” an archdiocesan official said.

“He also had very low blood pressure and a slight fever,” said the archdiocese’s chancellor, Fr Armand Aquino.

Fr Aquino said the archbishop had suffered from heart disease for a long time and had had a stroke in July, adding that he was “finally at peace.”

“He suffered from his illness for a long time and has now been given relief to enjoy eternal peace in heaven,” he said in a statement on Dec. 11.

The stroke prompted the Pope to name Zamboanga Auxiliary Bishop Moises Cuevas as apostolic administrator of the archdiocese.

“We offer our prayers to God for the soul of Archbishop Rommy, and for his family, and we pray for our Archdiocese of Zamboanga,” Fr Aquino added.

Archbishop dela Cruz was born in Iloilo province in the Western Visayas region. He was ordained a priest on Dec 8, 1972 and was appointed coadjutor bishop of Isabela de Basilan in the Mindanao region in 1987 by Pope John Paul II before becoming the prelature’s bishop in 1989.

He also served as bishop of San Jose de Antique and of Kidapawan in Cotabato from 2008 until 2014 before becoming archbishop in Zamboanga.

The prelate was known for his efforts to foster peace among Muslims and Christians in Mindanao. --ucanews.com