Balamban ‘cult leader’ charged

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu  provincial prosecutor yesterday filed the information for the crimes of serious illegal detention and illegal possession of firearms against alleged religious leader Casiano “Tatay Boy” Apduhan.

National Bureau of Investigation-7 Supervising Agent Rey Villordon said the case information was formally filed at Toledo City Prosecutor’s Office. That was after Provincial Prosecutor Jane Petralba found probable cause to indict Apduhan, who allegedly leads a cult in his place in Laray 3, Barangay Buanoy, Balamban town.

Apduhan was then transferred to the Toledo City Jail yesterday after being indicted of the criminal charges.

“The resolution is very unfair. There is no substantial evidence, unya ilaha gyud gi-file (still they filed the case),” said Atty. Danilo Yap, legal counsel of Apduhan.

Yap said he will file either a motion for reinvestigation or a motion for judicial determination of probable cause next week.

“Klaro man ang babaye nga giingon nila nga gi-detain, wa na gi-detain but nikuyog na siya nga wa pugsa. Asa may illegal detention ana? Ang babaye mismo ni ingon nga wa siya pugsa (There was no detention. The woman herself even said she was not forced to stay in Apduhan’s house),” Yap said.

As to the two .38 unlicensed revolver that were allegedly recovered from Apduhan, Yap said his client strongly denied owning them.

Asked if his client is a cult leader, Yap said he has no knowledge about it.

“Wa ko kahibalo anang cult-cult nga issue. We are free to practice our own religion,” he said.

To recall, Apduhan was arrested last month following a raid by NBI agents and Special Weapons and Tactics members implementing two search warrants issued by Toledo City Regional Trial Court Branch 59 Judge Hermes Montero.

The warrants were issued because Apduhan allegedly detained a woman in his house and to find the body of teenager Angelo Repuela, who was found buried deep inside a 30-foot tunnel, located under the house of  Apduhan.

The 28-year-old woman was allegedly kept against her will inside Apduhan’s house for five years.

Her parents, who thought she was working in Italy, sought help from Cebu Vice Governor Agnes Magpale, Provincial Women’s Commission co-chairperson.

In his affidavit, Ritchie Fajardo said that his family was a follower of Apduhan, who allegedly called himself Diyos Amahan or God the Father.

Fajardo said in his affidavit that Angelo’s death was not known by the latter’s parents,  Eleuterio and Remegia, who were told their son was offered as sacrifice in  finding gold and will come back to life in 2013 with their Diyos Amahan.

In 2013, Angelo did not came back, so his parents, who were also allegedly Apduhan’s followers, fled the area.

Apduhan has denied the accusations, saying he never detained the woman and that she could testify that she was free to leave his house if she wanted to.

He likewise denied killing Angelo, maintaining that he and his family did not know that the boy’s body was actually buried underneath his house.  (FREEMAN)