Pope appoints new bishop of Ilagan

MANILA - Pope Francis has appointed Bishop David William Antonio as the new bishop of the Diocese of Ilagan in Isabela.

The Vatican made the announcement at 12 noon (7 p.m. Manila time) on Wednesday.

Antonio is currently the auxiliary bishop of Nueva Segovia nd the apostolic administrator of San Jose in Occidental Mindoro.

He will be the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Ilagan, succeeding Bishop Joseph Nacua who resigned in 2017 due to health reasons at the age of 73.

The Vatican said Antonio will remain as apostolic administrator of San Jose in addition to his new position.

Antonio was born in Nagtupacan, Sto. Domingo, Ilocos Sur.

He was ordained into priesthood in 1998 and was ordained as bishop in 2011.

According to the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), Antonio was Pope Benedict XVI's last appointee that was ordained to the episcopate in the Philippines before his historic abdication in 2013.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Philippines, Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of 66-year-old Bishop Edgardo Juanich of the Apostolic Vicariate of Taytay.

Until a new bishop is appointed, Fr. Reynante Aguanta will oversee the affairs of the vicariate.