Priest, altar servers hurt in Cotabato highway mishap
The pick-up vehicle driven by a priest of the Kidapawan diocese turned turtle in a highway accident in Barangay Lower Kalaisan, Kidapawan City on Thursday morning, May 1, 2025. The priest and his altar servers survived but sustained injuries and are now undergoing medication in a hospital in Kidapawan. (Photo courtesy of DXND Radyo Bida)
COTABATO CITY – A diocesan priest and several altar servers were injured when a pick-up vehicle they were riding flipped along the national highway in Cotabato province on Thursday morning.
Rev. Freed Moore Billena, parish priest of Sta. Teresita del Niño Jesus Parish in Mlang town, Cotabato was driving the Mitsubishi pick-up (NOU-723) along the highway in Barangay Lower Kalaisan, Kidapawan City. when he lost control of the vehicle that eventually turned turtle
The incident happened at around 8 a.m. on Thursday.
Church-run radio station DXND reported that the priest and several “sacristan” were heading to Magpet town, Cotabato, to attend a patronal fiesta mass when the mishap happened.
In a statement, the Sta. Teresita del Niño Jesus Parish in Mlang said the priest and his altar servers are now undergoing medication in a Kidapawan City hospital.
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“We wish to inform everyone that, by God’s grace, Fr. Billena and his companion are now safe and in stable condition,” the statement said.
“They are currently staying at Kidapawan Doctors Hospital Incorporated (KDHI) for further medical monitoring to ensure that no serious harm was sustained,” it added.
