Pastor: No crime committed by INC in minister's sanction

MANILA, Philippines - An Evangelical Church pastor on Wednesday said the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) leadership has committed no crime when sanctioned one of its expelled ministers.

 

Pastor Greco Belgica, a losing senatorial candidate in 2013, said he supports the INC's cry of separation of church and state and not the alleged bias of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima in the case of Isaias Samson Jr., the expelled INC minister.

 

"There was no abduction. No crime has been committed. The DOJ (Department of Justice) cannot step in the case," Belgica said during the weekly media forum in Greenhills, San Juan City. 

 

He said that the INC sanction on Samson for purportedly spreading lies against the group's religious leaders is like any other penalty imposed by an organization or an entity to its member.

 

"Sa school kunwari meron kang ginagawang mali, tapos sinabing ang penalty mo detention, illegal ba 'yun? Syempre hindi kasi kasama ka pa rin sa jurisdiction ng school," Belgica said. 

 

He said the case would be different if Samson had already resigned from his post as minister and the INC leadership still detains him.

 

He said INC just like any other religion has a 'church government' or an organizational setup, which makes up their policies.

 

"Hindi puwedeng nakikialam ng president sa pamamahala ng church affairs," Belgica said. 

 

Belgica said that he has no idea why de Lima gave special attention to the case filed by Samson against the INC Sangguniang or council. 

 

Belgica said he spoke before the thousands of INC members during their vigil in front of the DOJ building in Manila regarding the Supreme Court ruling on the government's Disbursement Acceleration Program. 

 

Belgica said he just went to the INC protest in Manila as he was invited by one of his close friends who has connections with the religious group.

 

Asked if he has any plans to run again for an elective position in 2016, Belgica said he opts to lecture on the DAP and pork barrel issue without any political position. 

 

"I have no plans for 2016. Changing the system is greater than being in the system," said Belgica, who ran for 2013 senatorial race under the Democratic Party of the Philippines but lost.