Body of newborn infant found in church

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A newborn male baby was found lifeless inside a bag placed under the pews of San Lorenzo Ruiz Parish Church in Barangay Tisa, Cebu City, past 2 p.m. today,  November 10, 2019.

According to Police Corporal Andy Bayarcal, the infant was found by Imelda Atillo, 70, one of the church keepers, while she and the others were cleaning.

Bayarcal said Atillo noticed the bag placed under the pews and was supposed to keep it secured in case someone would come back looking for it.

But when Atillo opened the bag, she found an infant wrapped in a green towel with no sign of life.

Bayarcal said Atillo immediately called the officials at the Barangay Hall who then called the police.

The responding Scene of the Crime Operatives (Soco) confirmed that the infant was already dead.

The body of the infant was brought to the Saint Francis funeral homes along N. Bacalso Avenue, Cebu City.

Based on the testimonies of the habal-habal (motorcycle for hire) drivers who were waiting for passengers outside the church, they saw a woman came out of the church and  quickly rode a habal-habal that appeared to be waiting for her.

Bayarcal said no one recognized the woman or the motorcycle driver who drove off with the woman.

Bayarcal said they were still looking for closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage near the church that might have captured the arrival and departure of the woman./elb