‘Cult leader’ faces more charges

CEBU, Philippines - Two more criminal charges have been recommended for filing in court against an alleged cult leader in Balamban and two of his followers after the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office found probable cause to indict them in the murder of a 15-year-old boy and for violation of the   Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.

State prosecutors Ludivico Vistal Cutaran and Venice Balansag found probable cause against Casiano Apduhan, Victor Fajardo and Zacarias Barquio in the alleged killing of Angelo Repuela in 2012.

Apduhan, resident of Barangay Buanoy, Balamban, is a known leader of the cult “Dios Amahan.”

Eleuterio Repuela, resident of Alpaco, City of Naga, Cebu, accused Apduhan, Fajardo and Barquio of murder and violation of the Expanded Anti-trafficking in Persons Act.

Sometime in 2011 Apduhan allegedly came to Repuela’s place and warned them about the world’s coming to an end and that nobody would be spared except those who follow him.

They were told to sell all their livestock and gave the proceeds to Apduhan and became his followers. The Repuelas left their house and worked with Apduhan in Buanoy.

 Eleuterio said he helped Apduhan till his fields while his wife, Remegia, do the house chores. Their 15-year-old son, Angelo, worked as storekeeper. However, in November 2012, Angelo died under mysterious circumstances.

Angelo was buried at the underground of Apduhan’s villa.

According to Eleuterio, he was told that his son was made as an ‘offering’ for a pot of gold they were digging. The father was allegedly told that his son will rise from the dead in 2013.

The Repuela said they waited the whole year for their son to rise from the dead and served Apduhan without any compensation. After 2013 ended and nothing happened, the couple asked permission to leave from the villa but they were allegedly not allowed by Apduhan until they were able to escape and sought help from authorities.

Apduhan denied killing Angelo. He claimed that the boy was sick and that he was brought to him for healing. Apduhan said he did not know the boy died and buried at the underground of his villa because he was in Negros when the incident happened.

Aside from these two criminal charges, Apduhan already has pending cases of serious illegal detention and illegal possession of firearms before the Regional Trial Court in Toledo City.— (FREEMAN)