Authorities are preparing theft charges to be filed against the suspects who stole National Artist Fernando Amorsolo’s painting from the Hofileña Museum in Negros Occidental’s Silay City earlier this month.

Silay police chief, Colonel Mark Anthony Darroca said the lawyer of the Hofileña family and the police had a meeting to discuss the filing of cases against the two suspects.

Darroca said the family needs a few more minor evidence before filing the charges.

Meanwhile, the city police said they have identified the male and female suspects involved in the stolen painting.

An initial investigation showed the culprits, who are still at-large, are from Iloilo.

Darroca said they tried to locate them in Iloilo, but they were not around.

Earlier, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said charges should be filed against the suspects to prevent them from committing another heist.

Lacson hoped that the family would be willing to proceed with the filing of the case.

The painting, titled “Mango Harvesters,” valued at millions, was owned by the Hofileña family.

Measuring 12 by 18 inches, the masterpiece was one of Amorsolo’s early works in 1936.

The Hofileña Museum reported that the painting, displayed on the second floor of the museum, was discovered missing after a group of tourists visited the museum on July 3.

It was recovered by the National Bureau of Investigation during an entrapment operation in Quezon City’s Tomas Morato on July 11.

Two individuals were arrested for allegedly selling the painting for only P3.5 million.

Following the recovery, the National Museum of the Philippines, in a statement, was looking forward 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.”/WDJ