MANILA, May 12, 2009—A third Filipino bishop has resigned this year before the mandated retirement age of 75.

Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Auxiliary Bishop Zacharias Jimenez, 60, of the Diocese of Butuan last Thursday, May 7.

Jimenez’s resignation was made by reason of Canon 401 which provides that a bishop who becomes unsuited for duties due to illness or other grave reason is “earnestly requested” to tender resignation.

In 2007, the pontiff also accepted the resignation of Bishops Jesus Cabrera of Alaminos at the age of 66 and Nestor Cariño of Legazpi at the age of 69.

The bishop was born in Inabanga, Bohol on November 5, 1948. He was ordained priest on November 5, 1973.

Jimenez headed Pagadian diocese in Zamboanga del Sur, also in Mindanao, before he was appointed in 2003 as auxiliary bishop of Butuan diocese, 750 kilometers south of Manila. (Roy Lagarde)