PNP probes disappearance of priest in Tacloban

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December 28, 2025 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police is investigating the disappearance of Fr. Edwin Caintoy in Tacloban City on Dec. 23, as it urged netizens to refrain from posting unverified information on social media.

In a statement, the Eastern Visayas Police Office said it is conducting an in-depth investigation into the disappearance of Caintoy, parish priest of San Jose de Malibago Parish in Babatngon town in Leyte, about 25 kilometers away from Tacloban.

“The public and the media are advised to rely only on official sources for confirmed updates,” police said in a statement, noting that some netizens have posted on social media that the priest has been found.

Fr. Gwen Lovelino Padagdag, archdiocesan chancellor, said Caintoy’s whereabouts remains unknown.

He added that the “archdiocese is coordinating closely with authorities regarding this matter.”

In a social media post, the archdiocese cited a Babatngon town police report that said Caintoy was last seen walking to a mall in Tacloban at 9:08 a.m. on Dec. 23.

Caintoy was wearing a white clerical polo shirt and carrying a sling bag.

In his continued absence, Palo Archbishop John Du appointed Fr. Arnold Aurelio to serve as interim parish administrator.

“I commit to you the full care of the people of God in that parish with all the faculties, duties, rights and privileges given to a parish administrator by the Code of Canon law, our archdiocesan statutes and the approved consuetude of the archdiocese,” Du said in a letter of appointment on Dec. 26.