DOJ probe of INC continues

MANILA, Philippines - There’s no stopping the Department of Justice (DOJ) from proceeding with the preliminary investigation into criminal charges filed against eight leaders of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) by expelled members, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima declared yesterday.

De Lima said the complaints filed by Isaias Samson Jr. and his family and by Lito Fruto “will go through the regular process.”

This means the complaints “will be assigned to prosecutors or panels of prosecutors for preliminary investigation.” De Lima also stressed the conduct of preliminary investigation is “ministerial” on the part of her department.

As this developed, an INC member who is a lawyer claimed the filing of the complaints came after the sect refused to support a Palace candidate in the 2016 elections.

Ferdinand Topacio, who did not name the candidate, said the INC rebuff may have angered the Palace which – apparently in retaliation – later sought a way to cause division within the religious group.

De Lima emphasized a preliminary investigation “is an occasion where the DOJ performs a ministerial function.”

“Once we receive a complaint, the DOJ has no option but to conduct an investigation,” she said in a statement.

“No one is exempt from these standard procedures,” De Lima said.

She made the statement following reports that the INC had reached a compromise with the government to end its street protests last Monday. The Palace denied the reports.

It was De Lima’s allegedly giving “extraordinary attention” to the two criminal complaints that prompted the INC to order its members to launch street protests, including on EDSA.

The DOJ chief belittled INC calls for her to resign, saying she was just doing her job when she ordered an investigation into the allegations raised against the ministers.

Under DOJ procedures, docketed complaints are assigned to state prosecutors who conduct preliminary investigations.

Respondents are then asked to answer charges and submit counter-affidavits in subsequent hearings.

At the end of the preliminary investigation, the prosecutors determine whether probable cause exists to warrant the filing of cases in courts. If there is none, the complaints are dismissed.

Samson, his wife Myrna Dionela and son Isaiah filed charges of harassment, illegal detention, threats and coercion against members of the Sanggunian, the INC’s highest administrative council.

Respondents were Glicero Santos Jr., Radel Cortez, Bienvenido Santiago Sr., Mathusalem Pareja, Rolando Esguerra, Eraño Codera, Rodelio Cabrerra and Maximo Bularan.

Samson, former editor-in-chief of INC’s official publication Pasugo, alleged that the respondents prohibited them from leaving their house in Quezon City last July after he was accused of being blogger “Antonio Ebanghelista,” who attacked the INC in his blog site.

Samson’s lawyer Trixie Cruz-Angeles earlier expressed concern that the supposed INC agreement with the government would lead to the dismissal of their complaint.

Fruto, on the other hand, filed harassment charges against the members of the INC Sanggunian for supposedly concocting rape charges that led to the issuance of an arrest warrant and hold departure order against him after he sided with Angel and Lottie Manalo – siblings of current INC executive minister Eduardo Manalo – who were also expelled after going against the sect’s leadership.

Fruto said his troubles with the INC started when he answered a post of Lottie on Facebook asking for help as there were reportedly suspicious-looking vehicles following her brother Angel.

He alleged that powerful people behind the executive minister were actually the ones running the affairs of the church.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said proceeding with the legal processes also involves protecting the rights of the accused.

“I think we should proceed with the law, but I think we should give every opportunity to the person accused of various things, the opportunity to defend themselves,” Belmonte said.

He said De Lima should also take into consideration the unique nature of the INC “that may have its own internal rules and regulations.”

LPGMA party-list Rep. Arnel Ty said local officials should “not be overly beholden to any particular group – to the extent that local executives are prepared to sacrifice the common good in favor of that party.” Ty was apparently referring to the handling of various local government units of the INC’s recent street protests.

Retaliation?

Topacio told reporters at the Kapihan sa Luneta Hotel forum that Malacañang’s alleged effort to divide the INC prompted members of the church to launch the protests that stalled traffic and disrupted businesses from Thursday last week until Monday.

“They were breaking the unity of the INC. When it became evident that the administration candidate would not get support, they looked for a way to break us,” Topacio said.

Topacio said there were real kalokohan (anomalies) in the INC that needed to be investigated, and that some members were indeed already disgruntled. But he stressed INC leaders were addressing the problems internally.

He said that when “some people got an inkling” of INC’s internal troubles, they fanned the flame of discord with the aim of causing a split in the church and “diluting” its voting power. He declined to name names, but said somebody from the Palace was directly involved.

This sparked worries that the issue would “paralyze” the Sanggunian.

“Imagine, getting eight of the 12 Sanggunian members charged. It will cause not only paralysis but a breakup of the INC. They will feast on our misfortune,” he said in Filipino.

He said seeing their leaders behind bars is unimaginable. “What will happen to our leadership then?” Serious illegal detention is a non-bailable offense.

In the same forum, Mandaluyong Mayor Benhur Abalos said he had to issue a rally permit to the INC for Saturday morning to “contain” the protesters and ease tension.

He also clarified that INC’s original request was to be allowed to stay on EDSA until Monday but he declined such request.

Abalos admitted the protesters’ decision to march to EDSA from Manila on Friday night caught him by surprise.

Meanwhile, a pastor defended the INC against accusations of illegal detention and harassment.

Pastor Greco Belgica, a defeated senatorial candidate, said the INC may have just tried to discipline Samson, whom it thought was spreading lies about the religious group.

“No crime was committed. So the DOJ cannot step into the case,” he said at a weekly forum in Greenhills, San Juan.

He said the INC, like any other organization, can impose sanctions on erring members. But he said if the alleged abduction had taken place before Samson’s separation from the INC, then a crime may have indeed been committed.

He clarified that while he fully supports the INC’s cry for separation of church and state, he is against De Lima’s alleged show of bias when she had the cases against the ministers prioritized.

He also said President Aquino should not interfere in INC’s internal affairs.

Belgica also admitted speaking before INC members during their vigil outside the DOJ complex on Padre Faura, but only on the Supreme Court’s ruling on the administration’s Disbursement Acceleration Program.

He said he showed up at the rally upon invitation from a friend from the religious group. – Paolo Romero, Non Alquitran