8 INC leaders may still answer charges – lawyer

MANILA, Philippines – Eight members of the Iglesia ni Cristo Sanggunian accused of harassment, illegal detention, threats and coercion may still answer the criminal charges against them despite the decision of prosecutors to conclude the preliminary investigation.

Respondents may still file a motion to reopen the preliminary investigation and justify why they were not able to appear last Friday, according to the lawyer of expelled minister Isaias Samson Jr. and his family, who had filed the criminal complaint.

“If the panel accepts their reason, then the respondents may still be able to submit their answers to allow the DOJ to resolve the case with both sides presented,” Trixie Cruz-Angeles said in an interview.

Respondents Glicero Santos Jr., Radel Cortez, Bienvenido Santiago Sr., Mathusalem Pareja, Rolando Esguerra, Eraño Codera, Rodelio Cabrerra and Maximo Bularan Jr. – or their lawyers – were not able to appear in the preliminary investigation last Friday.

Assistant State Prosecutors Mark Estepa and Olivia Torrevillas decided to submit the complaint for resolution without the respondents’ side since they had been duly notified via subpoena.

Samson, his wife, Myrna Dionela and son, Isaiah appeared before the DOJ panel and affirmed their affidavits.

He would have wanted the INC officials to answer his charges “for the truth to finally come out,” Samson said.

His criminal complaint does not target the INC as an institution, he added.

He believes that the church could weather the present challenges, Samson said.

“This is not against the church,” he said.

“I did not include Ka Eduardo (Manalo) because I believe he is not involved. This case is just against certain people in the church,” he said, explaining the exclusion of the executive minister from the charge sheet.

The best solution would be for the ministers   named in his complaint to resign from the INC Sanggunian to let the church reclaim its old glory, Samson said.

During the preliminary investigation, another expelled INC member surfaced to affirm a complaint before the DOJ that the Sanggunian had also kidnapped him.

Lito de Luna Fruto had filed harassment charges against members of the Sanggunian for supposedly concocting rape charges that led to issuance of an arrest warrant and hold departure order against him after he sided with Ka Angel and Ka Lottie Manalo, siblings of the executive minister who were also expelled after going against the church’s leadership.

“I was a member of church for 32 years and I’ve been vocal, even up to now, about my resentments,” he told reporters.

“I was helping children of Ka  Erdy (Manalo) because they were not being treated well.”

The 50-year-old Filipino-American doctor was arrested for rape in Caloocan City after admitting that he was one of the bloggers attacking the INC leadership, which led to his expulsion from the church.

‘Argue cases in court, not media’

At the House of Representatives, Minority Leader Ronaldo Zamora asked lawyers of complainants to argue their cases in court, not in the media.

“Another Crucifixion: In Defense of Religious Freedom,” was the title of the appeal in Zamora’s Facebook post.

“Shouldn’t these contending  lawyers gag themselves in the meantime, and argue and win their case in our courts, as they were taught in law school?” he said.

“Shouldn’t all this be done in court rather than in the newspapers?” Zamora, who topped the 1969 Bar examinations, wrote.

Apparently, he was also addressing his plea to the lawyers of the INC.

Zamora said he was sure that each side would “be given their guaranteed day in court.”

This would free the parties “from having to fight and win their case first in the arena of public opinion and only later in the courts of the land,” he added.

Zamora made the appeal in the wake of the Facebook exchange of posts between Angeles and Ahmedy Paglinawan, counsels of expelled INC ministers Lowell Menorca and Samson, and INC member Ferdinand Topacio, who is a lawyer.

Topacio had accused the two of supposedly receiving pay from the government as consultants.

Angeles wrote in a recent post: “It would save you a lot of grief if you checked your facts once in a while. Do try to find out when Ahmed and I became government consultants and who exactly appointed us.”

Paglinawan challenged Topacio to prove his allegation.

“Are you accusing me of illegally receiving money from this government in relation to the INC cases I’m handling?” he asked.

“Explain to me like I’m a nine-year-old why I should not haul you in court for intriguing against another lawyer in relation to the legitimate exercise of his profession,” he said.

Upon orders from the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals is conducting hearings on the habeas corpus and writ of amparo petitions filed by Menorca’s family.

The INC has called for the dismissal of both petitions since Menorca is not in its custody.