Daughters of ‘healer’ deny group is a cult
CEBU, Philippines - “We are not a cult.â€
This was the statement of the daughters of Casiano “Tatay Boy†Apduhan, who was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation-7 Wednesday for serious illegal detention and illegal possession of firearms.
Sianrez and Cristelle Marie of Sitio Laray III, Barangay Buanoy, Balamban, told the media in an interview after the inquest proceedings of Casiano and his driver Victor Fajardo before state prosecutor Jay Paradiang wherein they manifested to file their respective counter-affidavits, that they were not a cult.
“We are Roman Catholics…we are, in fact, baptized,†they said, adding they just have prayers of their own.
Casiano was charged for serious illegal detention for allegedly imprisoning a 33-year old woman in his house for five years and for possessing two unlicensed homemade .38 cal. revolvers.
Supervising agent Rey Villordon said Fajardo was also charged for serious illegal detention for allegedly having participated in holding the woman against her will.
Casiano and Fajardo were arrested by virtue of a search warrant for the exhumation and illegal detention. Casiano maintained he was innocent of the charges filed against him. He said the woman was never stopped from leaving their house. His testimony was corroborated by his daughter Cristelle Marie, who said the woman can tell the truth and clear her father’s name.
Cristelle Marie added that it was the woman, who is now under the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development for psychological examination, who approached them and asked to stay there.
Casiano likewise denied owning the gun. He said the gun, which was allegedly recovered by the NBI, was found in the kitchen. He added that if he has a gun, he would not place it in the kitchen.
Fajardo denied the charges filed against him and said the accusations filed against Casiano were all lies.
Inquest proceedings
Paradiang gave the respondents seven days to file their respective counter-affidavits and eight days to resolve the complaints whether there is a probable cause to file it before the court.
The respondents executed a waiver for detention. They went to the Public Attorney’s Office to ask for assistance but the public attorney said they could not sign the waiver as the 36-hour prescribed period had already lapsed.
The respondents then went to the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Cebu Province Chapter and approached lawyer Delfin Quilaquil who signed the waiver.
Provincial Prosecutor Pepita Jane Petralba earlier said that they won’t honor the waiver if only the daughters of Casiano will sign it and not a lawyer. She said the purpose of executing a waiver is for the respondent not to file a counter-charge against the NBI for detaining them.
Search
During the search, Sianrez said they were not allowed to go inside and don’t know if the evidence recovered in their house was planted.
Casiano and Fajardo were arrested following the implementation of the search warrant by the NBI agents and Special Weapons and Tactics team. The agents were able to recover the remains of a 15-year-old boy buried deep inside a 30-foot tunnel under Casiano’s house and rescued the woman.
In his affidavit, Ritchie Fajardo, a resident of Laray III, said he and his family are followers of Casiano. Sometime in 2012, he said the boy, Angelo, died and was wrapped in a brown blanket and brought underground upon the instructions of Casiano.
“We went down to the tunnel and placed the dead body into a small cave inside the tunnel. Then, upon the instruction of Tatay, we cemented the entrance of the small cave,†Ritchie said.
The parents of the Angelo, Eleuterio and Remegia Repuela, were also followers of Casiano.
Casiano denied the allegations saying he never knew that a body was buried under his house. He said it was last year when he knew about the body after Eleuterio fled.
He said they mulled legal action against Eleuterio but were advised to hold off until they had talked. —/BRP (FREEMAN)
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