Two priests from the Diocese of Balanga in Bataan died of heart-related conditions on consecutive days, leaving the local Church in mourning.
Church officials confirmed that 59-year-old Father Ernesto De Leon died on June 13, after decades of service in the priesthood and a recent major national church assignment completed in November 2025.
A day later, 43-year-old Father Tristan Ralf Pacheco also passed away following a sudden heart condition. He had served in ministry for less than a year, working closely with university students after leaving a career as a civil engineer before his ordination in October 2025.
Bishop Daniel Presto led a joint wake Mass on Monday, describing the back-to-back deaths as an unusual and heavy burden for the diocese.
In his homily, Presto honored Father De Leon’s more than 30 years of pastoral service, while also paying tribute to Father Pacheco’s decision to leave his engineering profession to enter the priesthood.
Clergy and parishioners gathered at the altar to pray for the two priests, with Church leaders calling their deaths a significant loss for the diocese.