Negros Occidental — The Silay City Police Station aims to file theft charges this week against a man identified as the suspect in the July 3rd theft of the 88-year-old “Mango Harvester” painting by national artist Fernando Amorsolo from the Hofileña Museum.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Mark Anthony Darroca stated that they are waiting for the Hofileña family to join them in filing the case. “We are just waiting for a representative from the Hofileña family to proceed with the case filing. Our target is to file the case by tomorrow, July 11, 2024, or by Friday, July 13, 2024,” Darroca said.
The suspect was identified by a pedicab driver who witnessed the suspects leaving the museum with the painting. The driver recognized the male suspect from the police’s rogue gallery.
“When we showed the rogue gallery to the pedicab driver, he identified the male suspect. Unfortunately, he could not identify the female suspect as she was not in the gallery,” explained Darroca.
The suspect, who has a prior theft case in Bacolod City, is not a local but hails from Tondo, Manila. “He has a previous theft case in Bacolod City, but he is originally from Tondo, Manila,” Darroca added.
Despite identifying the suspect, the Silay City Police Station still has no leads on the current whereabouts of the suspects or the stolen painting.
Meanwhile, the arts and culture community in Negros Occidental has called for public assistance to locate the painting, a 12×18-inch masterpiece created by Amorsolo in 1936.
