Stealing ‘souls’ from Satan

Sometimes, seemingly earthly issues like Charter change can deliver far more than it meant to. Here we are trying to seek ways on how we can be better governed and understand why we have failed to match the progress and verve of other countries in the region. Then, out of the blue (a miracle no doubt!) the answer is given to us with Mike Velarde’s El Shaddai, the CBCP and some elements of the Catholic Church of the Philippines coming forward to say they will stop Charter change. I am appalled when Velarde is quoted as saying that he is not against Charter change, only against how it is being Done. What hypocrisy. In 1997, the same ‘forces’ of the Catholic Church in the Philippines were used to stop a people’s initiative.

Let me say here and now that the El Shaddai and other church forces which are bastions of conservatism will resort to any means, whether fair or foul, that will lead to Charter change if they are not in charge. We have failed as a nation to shake off the colonial clericalism which was how we were governed through the 300 years of the Spanish period.

I am not talking here of religion but of clerics who use religion and the muscle of church following to stop political reform in the name of morals. They have arrogated to themselves the right to decide how this country should be run and that to them is moral. They have no qualms about using dirty tricks, call proponents of Charter change devils (I cannot for the life of me ever understand how proposing reforms should be deemed a mortal sin).

Church politicking is done through El Shaddai, led by Mike Velarde and the CBCP now led by Archbishop Angel Lagdameo. Perhaps we should revisit Velarde’s personal history, who now poses as the broker between the Senate and the House. He has become reportedly fabulously rich through power broking in the present system that would become unnecessary in a parliamentary system.

We must call on our historical experience when the Catholic Church was used as a colonial instrument. That interference persists in the guise of ‘morality’ which has unfortunately blocked the country from moving forward. Other Catholic countries, Spain for one, Ireland for another have done better. By the way, the Church’s acquiescence and direct link to this corrupt religious cult is through the disgraced Bishop Teodoro Bacani who also sits in the CBCP.

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During the attempted seizure of Malacañang after Erap’s ouster the foxy Mike Velarde wavered in committing his mass following until he was sure that his plunder case would be quashed. This seems to be typical of the man. He uses the numbers of his followers as his leverage for his own interests. Both Velarde and the INC who lost when President GMA took over subsequently tried to worm their way in for concessions from the Arroyo administration. One of the plunder cases filed against Velarde was a multibillion-peso project linking C5 and the Manila-Cavite expressway which allegedly benefited Estrada and himself.

El Shaddai cynically exploits the poor through religious gimmickry. Garbed in a red suit and a bow tie he cuts a striking figure, mesmerizes audiences at the same time that he urges them to believe God to overcome their difficulties in life and asks for some charity, too, er, for him. El Shaddai branches counts thousands of homesick OFWs. For example some 3,000 Filipinos, mainly women, gave generously to his coffers. Through his genius with crowds he claims to command millions of votes that could affect the outcome of an election so many politicians come at his door, bag in hand for his favors. But the more serious doubt such allegations.

How does he see the rule of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo? This is what he said early in her term. "We support her, and we are committed to supporting her until she completes her term in 2010. We also want her to implement her policies for the betterment of the Philippines," he said. Since then he has modified the view to suit the anti-Arroyo climate.

There are stories and stories of how Bro Mike conducts his preaching. It goes like this. First he asks them "Do you want health?" Yes, the crowd screams. "Do you want wealth?" Yes, and that said even louder. "Do you want beauty?" Yes, yes, yes. "Then, you must believe that God is here, in this hall, in Singapore. God will listen to you if you will believe in him. Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be open to you," he tells the congregation, quoting from the Bible. To make his teachings even more attractive he says "you will experience a miracle today." They cheer lustily like they would a pop star, reach out to touch his hand, and push and shove to grab the handkerchiefs wrapped with a calamansi that he throws to the crowd.

That is probably what inspired the title of the book Investing in Miracles: El Shaddai and the Transformation of Popular Catholicism in the Philippines by Katherine L. Wiegele. It gives a good background of the poverty in the Philippines and a reviewer writes how this nutty religious revolution El Shaddai gets poor people to give their money not unlike a modern day Elmer Gantry who is laughing all the way to the bank. He adds that he also learned a lot about beliefs in demons, devils, angels, etc.

It is the same Bro. Mike Velarde, once called by an international magazine as the "tollmaster" of salvation who has now taken up the self-appointed role of mediator between the House and the Senate on Charter change and eagerly interviewed by TV reporters. As my STAR colleague, Alex Magno asks in his column by what right does this man assume that role?

And what of the CBCP and the Church who cast a blind eye to this imposter while demanding truth from politicians? He tells the story of his humble beginnings and how he came to be so rich and powerful with the blessings of the Church. In 1978 when Bro. Mike was still known as Mariano Zuniega Velarde, a qualified land surveyor and later real estate agent – felt heart-troubles. In a heart centre, an enlargement of heart and vasoconstrictions were diagnosed. He claims he was visited by an angel – "disguised as a nurse" – who asked him to read and to study a passage in the Corinthian letter.

In 1981 he was offered for P2 million a property area nearby the Ninoy Aquino airport. A radio station belonged to the property. Velarde bought it and ran into debt. But as he claims, he waited for a financial miracle and it came through a "faith seed donation" of P50,000. He was then able to sell the property for P60 million to wealthy investors. The radio station became the foundation of the charismatic religious movement, He never looked back since. In his radio programs he called on Roman Catholics to confess their sins as the way to religious revival. Before long he gathered more and more crowds until his group became an adjunct of the Roman Catholic Church as a charitable foundation and layman organization "El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation International (DWXI-PPFI)". Once Velarde told a reporter that half of the revenues go to the Catholic Church because El Shaddai uses the facilities of the Church. It is run like any business. Followers and non-followers can buy capital shares from the "El Shaddai Golden Rule Corp." The joint-stock company operates at least one supermarket ("Super Bodega"); here shareholders can buy products at a reduced price. The investment fund share is also a kind of lottery ticket. If a shareholder is lucky he can purchase a cut-price house. Shouldn’t such activities be taxed? Well, that is another reason why he would not like to support Charter change that may finally impose taxes on his businesses.

Velarde was once asked about his personal wealth. This was his reply. "If I am a thief, I don’t steal money, but souls from of the grip of Satan!" The group has a bishop as adviser, Bishop Ted Bacani. That has offended many Catholics and compares "El Shaddai" to adoring the Golden Calf." We should ask the Church a very pertinent question. How can a Church demand truth from President GMA while it tolerates this mendacious political movement under its authority?

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