NBI RECOVERS STOLEN AMORSOLO PAINTING

A PAINTING by National Artist Fernando Amorsolo which was stolen from the Hofileña Museum in Silay City, Negros Occidental last July 3 was successfully recovered by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

According to a Facebook post on Friday by the National Museum of the Philippines, the NBI turned over the 1936 painting “Mango Harvesters” for them to check.

National Museum Director-General Jeremy Barns personally inspected the painting and assured the NBI that the painting is indeed the one that was stolen.

The National Museum congratulated the NBI for safely retrieving the stolen painting.

“We look forward to the return of ‘Mango Harvesters’ to its rightful owners and home at the Hofileña Museum, and to the successful prosecution of all persons who were involved in the theft of this valuable piece of the nation’s cultural and artistic heritage,” the National Museum said.

Based on figures posted on websites of art auction houses, prices of Amorsolo artworks of similar sizes amount to millions of pesos.

Police said two suspects were initially seen to have physically taken the art piece.

Amorsolo’s painting was believed to have been stolen when two groups of tourists visited the museum on July 3, with just one tour guide on duty.