New allegation vs INC denied

MANILA, Philippines - Expelled minister Isaias Samson Jr.’s latest allegation of corruption against the Iglesia ni Cristo in the US is   baseless, INC spokesman Edwil Zabala said yesterday.

In a statement, Zabala said it is not true that some church officials are facing charges in the US, and neither are they maintaining personal and unauthorized offshore bank accounts in the Cayman Islands or in Switzerland.

“We follow protocols for the deposit of cash collections,” he said.

“We also have very stringent audit procedures, otherwise the church would not be granted tax-exempt status by the US government.”  

Zabala challenged Samson to prove that the church had offshore accounts in the Cayman Islands and in Switzerland.

“We are willing to sign a waiver; if they can prove that any of INC’s leaders have offshore accounts in the Cayman Islands or in Switzerland, they can have the cash in all of them,” he said.

Similar allegations were made by another expelled minister, Vincent Florida.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has dismissed Samson’s earlier complaint of serious illegal detention against INC officials.

In his latest allegation, he said

irregularities exist in the handling of church funds in the US.

Florida, a former INC minister in   Northern Virginia, said that he had reported the INC and church officials to the US Internal Revenue Service for tax fraud.

However, IRS special agent Arlette Lee said no cases had been filed against either INC executive minister Eduardo Manalo or auditor Glicerio Santos Jr. in US federal court.

Zabala said the INC could not remain silent in the face of the repeated defamatory statements from Samson and Florida, who were expelled from the church last July.

“We are deeply saddened by the allegations of Mr. Samson and Mr. Florida,” he said.

“We wanted to refrain from commenting on their baseless accusations, as we do not wish to dignify any further attempts to subject the church to trial by media. However, we owe it to our flock and the public to forthrightly respond to these incredulous allegations.” 

The church would continue “to pray for the enlightenment of those who wish to sow divides within our church,” Zabala said.