BACOLOD CITY – The city government of Silay in Negros Occidental has offered a P25,000 cash reward for information that would lead to the arrest of the suspects and recovery of a stolen Fernando Amorsolo painting last July 3.
READ: https://mb.com.ph/2024/7/6/amorsolo-painting-stolen-from-private-museum-in-silay-city
Silay Mayor Joedith Gallego said on Saturday, July 6, that he is willing to give a reward to hasten the search for the missing artwork.
GALLEGO
Gallego said that he has directed the police to thoroughly probe the incident for the immediate arrest of the suspects.
Police have two persons of interest but refused to elaborate further pending investigation.
The suspects, according to the police, joined a group of six individuals during a tour of the Hofileña Museum in Barangay 1 where the painting was displayed. Minutes later, the painting on the second floor was reported missing.
Authorities have yet to disclose the value of the stolen Mango Harvesters painting.
Gallego said that tourist police are regularly roving in the city. But due to the incident, he said that he will add more city personnel in museums to prevent a similar incident.
He considered this as an isolated case and he is hoping to immediately recover the painting.
City tourism officer Gerle Sulmaca said that they are shocked and saddened by the incident. This is the first time that this happened, she said.