A parish priest in Quezon City today announced the disappearance of an antique image of the Virgin Mary after a man, posing as a Marian devotee, took it “for restoration” two weeks ago. Father Rally Gonzaga of Sta. Teresita Parish Church in Mayon district said chapel staff handed the statue of the Our Lady of Perpetual Help to the man, believing he had the priest’s permission to take it. Father Gonzaga denies giving permission to anyone to take the statue and said he only learned of the incident recently. The police, however, said the case could not be treated as theft because the statue was given over voluntarily by the staff. Superintendent Lino Banaag, commander of the local police station, said it could only be classified as fraud. Father Gonzaga said he was away when the man, who introduced himself as Omar Sarino, came to the chapel.