Bombings in Marawi continue as the city is reduced to somewhat of a no-mans land near the center of the Marawi, May 26, 2017. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News
MANILA— Marawi City Bishop Edwin de la Peña condemned the “demonic” destruction of a cathedral and religious icons by Maute terrorists.
De la Peña said he saw the video of the militants destroying the St. Mary’s Cathedral in a video released by Islamic State news agency Amaq on Sunday.
"We are angered by what happened. Our faith has really been trampled on,” De la Peña told CBCP News.
The bishop added that he has received information that the extremists had been planning to "destroy and burn the church."
The video showed Maute terrorists yelling “Allahu Akbar” as they smashed religious icons and burned down the church, CBCP News reported.
“That is blasphemy! It’s unacceptable. It’s obvious that their actions are really out of this world. It’s demonic,” De la Peña said.
Maute terrorists have also abducted Fr. Chito Suganob, a day after they launched their initial attack in Marawi City.
A video posted online was confirmed by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) last week showing Fr. Suganob appealing to the government to halt military offensives in Marawi City.
Marawi City, martial law, Catholic Church, Maute group, terrorism, St. Mary’s Cathedral