2015 Iglesia ni Cristo leadership controversy
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The 2015 Iglesia ni Cristo leadership controversy is a dispute between senior members of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) in the Philippines. In July 2015, it was reported that the INC had expelled some of its ministers, along with high-profile members Felix Nathaniel "Angel" Manalo and Cristina "Tenny" Villanueva Manalo, the brother and mother of current INC Executive Minister
Eduardo Manalo Eduardo Villanueva Manalo (; born October 31, 1955, in Quezon City, Philippines) also known as Ka Erdy is the current Executive Minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC). He is the third generation of the Manalo family to lead the church following ...
, respectively. Angel and Tenny were expelled from the INC for allegedly "sowing disunity" in the Church. The INC administration released a statement claiming that Eduardo had agreed to the expulsion of his brother and mother from the INC, as decided upon by its overall leadership. However, both Angel and Tenny claimed their lives were threatened by the Iglesia administration. Angel and Tenny had reportedly been illegally detained at the Iglesia's Central Office Complex in
Tandang Sora Melchora Aquino de Ramos (January 6, 1812 – February 19, 1919) was a Filipino revolutionary. She became known as "Tandang Sora" because of her age during the Philippine Revolution. She was known as the "Grand Woman of the Revolution" and ...
,
Quezon City Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...
, and that at least ten ministers of the Church were missing and alleged to have been abducted. Former INC ministers Roel Rosal and Isaias Samson, Jr., claimed that the ''Sanggunián'' (the highest administrative council of the INC) had unlawfully abducted and detained ministers, along with members of the Manalo family, to cover up corruption surrounding the chief auditor, Glicerio "Jun" Santos, Jr. On July 24, 2015, the INC, represented by Glicerio B. Santos IV, head counsel and son of Santos, Jr., filed a libel complaint against Samson. Detained INC Evangelical Worker Lowell Menorca stated that he was forcibly detained by the INC administration, and was kidnapped at gunpoint by police officers in the employ of INC leaders and was forced to deny his captivity under duress. Menorca later fled to
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and filed for refugee status, which was granted in 2018, with the
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, and ...
stating: "When the panel considers the links between the INC and the law enforcement authorities in the Philippines, the general climate of impunity that pervades Philippines law enforcement, particularly with respect to the issue of
extrajudicial killing An extrajudicial killing (also known as extrajudicial execution or extralegal killing) is the deliberate killing of a person without the lawful authority granted by a judicial proceeding. It typically refers to government authorities, whether ...
, and the level of corruption that exists in the Philippines government and law enforcement apparatus, the panel is satisfied Menorca would be unable to avail himself of state protection, from the risks that he fears in that country..."


Overview


Angel and Tenny Manalo

On July 22, 2015, a video was uploaded to
YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
featuring Felix Nathaniel "Angel" Manalo, the brother to nominal INC leader
Eduardo V. Manalo Eduardo Villanueva Manalo (; born October 31, 1955, in Quezon City, Philippines) also known as Ka Erdy is the current Executive Minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC). He is the third generation of the Manalo family to lead the church following ...
and a former general manager of Global Expansion Media Television (a terrestrial TV station broadcasting the INC's programs, now called
INCTV DZCE-TV is the flagship non-commercial station of the Philippine television network INC TV (merger of GEM TV and INC Channel on SkyCable and stylized as INCTV). INCTV is the flagship UHF television station of Christian Era Broadcasting Service ...
), along with his mother, Cristina "Tenny" Villanueva Manalo, the widow of Eraño G. Manalo. In the video, they claimed their lives had been threatened by the INC leadership, along with that of Angel's sister, Lolita "Lottie" Manalo Hemedez. Tenny Manalo also claimed that there had been a mass
kidnapping In criminal law, kidnapping is the unlawful confinement of a person against their will, often including transportation/asportation. The asportation and abduction element is typically but not necessarily conducted by means of force or fear: the p ...
of ministers who had not been accounted for, implying that their disappearance somehow traced to the INC leadership, and that she had not been able to speak to her son. However, the INC denied the claims. Bienvenido Santiago, INC's chief evangelist, announced a few hours after the video's release that the church was expelling Tenny and Angel Manalo for allegedly causing divisions in the church and wanting to seize power. Santiago claimed that their video was a sympathy ploy to gather support to meddle in the leadership of the INC and that the INC administration was acting on the wishes of Eduardo V. Manalo to prevent discord in the Church. Edwil Zabala, a spokesman for the INC, stated that the INC would consider having Tenny and Angel Manalo return to the Church if they would pledge to uphold and obey their teachings. Lottie Hemedez and another sibling, Marco Eraño "Marc" Villanueva Manalo, were also expelled. After the response from the INC, an unidentified individual was photographed holding a sign saying "''Tulong'', hostage ''kami''" ( Tagalog: ''Help, we're eldhostage'') in a building that is part of the INC Central Office in the Tandang Sora district in
Quezon City Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...
,
Metro Manila Metropolitan Manila (often shortened as Metro Manila; fil, Kalakhang Maynila), officially the National Capital Region (NCR; fil, link=no, Pambansang Punong Rehiyon), is the capital region, seat of government and one of three List of metrop ...
, northeast of the capital
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
. When contacted by reporters, INC spokesman Edwil Zabala referred them to a CD recording of Santiago's statement regarding the expulsions. In a press briefing that same afternoon, Santiago confirmed the expulsions. Santiago said, "Painful as it is to our brother Eduardo Manalo, they have decided to expel those who have been causing division within the Church. That is why in future worship services of the Church of Christ, from this day, the Overall Leadership will let this be known by all of our brothers". The
Philippine National Police The Philippine National Police ( fil, Pambansang Pulisya ng Pilipinas, acronymed as PNP) is the armed national police force in the Philippines. Its national headquarters is located at Camp Crame in Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Quezon City. Current ...
, through its Quezon City Police District (QCPD), sent its personnel to the INC compound on July 23. They were able to contact Angel in the evening, and Angel himself talked to the reporters around 1:00 PST, denying he was detained and saying that sign pleading for help was done by a child joking around. QCPD Joel Pagdilao said that the police is ruling out case of abduction and described the concerned persons inside as peaceful and free. Angel Manalo also spoke to the reporters and criticised the Church's Sanggunian, denied that he is challenging the leadership of his brother,
Eduardo Manalo Eduardo Villanueva Manalo (; born October 31, 1955, in Quezon City, Philippines) also known as Ka Erdy is the current Executive Minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC). He is the third generation of the Manalo family to lead the church following ...
. He also advised his brother Eduardo against trusting people within the Sanggunian he alleged to be corrupt. He also criticised the decision's to build the
Philippine Arena The Philippine Arena is the world's largest indoor arena. It is a multipurpose indoor arena with a maximum seating capacity of 55,000 at Ciudad de Victoria, a 140-hectare tourism enterprise zone in Bocaue and Santa Maria, Bulacan, Philippin ...
(a large indoor arena in the northern Manila suburb of
Bocaue Bocaue, officially the Municipality of Bocaue ( tgl, Bayan ng Bocaue), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 141,412 people. With the continuous expansion of Met ...
,
Bulacan Bulacan, officially the Province of Bulacan ( tl, Lalawigan ng Bulacan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the city of Malolos. Bulacan was established on August 15, 1578, and part of the Metr ...
, the world's largest) instead of more houses of worship. He lamented the situation, saying, "Why is it that these days, there are many anomalies? Others might say we're challenging our brother. No, we love our brother. But our problem is with people around him." He added "The doctrine of the Iglesia ni Cristo is now damaged. In the same way that you looked up to us before, now you can see there are many anomalies. There are many acts of corruption in the Church. That's what we want to avoid" On December 15, 2015, church guards prevented Manalo and his housekeepers from allowing members of the media to enter their ancestral house at 35
Tandang Sora Avenue Tandang Sora Avenue, formerly known as Banlat Road, is a major east-west thoroughfare bisecting Quezon City in Metro Manila, the Philippines. It is a two-to-six lane highway and municipal road that runs for from its eastern terminus at Magsaysa ...
, following the inspection of the sheriff of the Quezon City RTC. The court inspection was requested by church officials in order to identify the occupants of property, following reports that unknown masked and hooded persons were going in and out of the compound, located beside the INC central office, as well as in response to several ex-Marines who tried to go inside the compound, led by renegade soldier Capt.
Nicanor Faeldon Nicanor Escalona Faeldon (; born July 29, 1965) is a Filipino former Marine who served as the Director-General of the Bureau of Corrections under the Duterte administration from November 21, 2018, until he was fired in September 2019. He serv ...
, and who were only stopped by INC security. INC spokesman Zabala also claimed that the Tandang Sora property was owned by INC. Angel Manalo also protested the construction of the high fences in the compound. The next day, the Quezon City
Regional Trial Court The Regional Trial Courts ( fil, Panrehiyong Hukuman sa Paglilitis) are the highest trial courts in the Philippines. In criminal matters, they have original jurisdiction. History It was formerly called as the Court of First Instance since the ...
(RTC) branch 22 ordered the INC to restore the electricity supply of the compound, remove and dismantle the blocking fences, and remove the guardhouse and portable toilet that blocked the vehicle gate #3 of the Manalo's home. The INC planned to file an ejectment case against Manalo and Hemedez if the siblings refused to leave their residence in Tandang Sora. On her part, Manalo-Hemedez said that she is the real owner of the 36 Tandang Sora Avenue compound, having been owned the property since 1983. She maintained that she and her household would not leave the compound. Presidential aspirant
Roy Señeres Roy Villareal Señeres (July 6, 1947 – February 8, 2016) was a Filipino politician and diplomat who initially ran in the 2016 Philippine presidential election under the Partido ng Manggagawa at Magsasaka party before withdrawing on February ...
visited the compound in January 2016. Guards barred Señeres from entering and refused to let him provide the occupants with food and bottled water.


Ministers

That same day, allegations from former and current INC ministers claimed that the Manalo family were hostages. Roel Rosal, a former Iglesia ni Cristo minister who stated that he and his wife were expelled from the church for trying to expose corruption, made a public statement that ten ministers along with the Manalos were under house arrest at the INC Central Office, at the behest of INC auditor general Glicerio B. "Jun" Santos, Jr. in order to prevent the revelation of financial corruption by Santos and his staff. Rosal claimed that Santos had pilfered and misused church offerings, and is holding the Manalos for "revenge." Supporters of Tenny and Angel Manalo gathered outside the compound demanding to know the whereabouts of the Manalos and missing ministers.
GMA News GMA Integrated News and Public Affairs (formerly known as ''RBS News Department'', ''GMA Radio-Television News'' and ''GMA Rainbow Satellite News''; and commonly GMA (Integrated) News) is the news division of the GMA Network Inc. The division ...
reported that they saw an individual resembling Angel Manalo inside of the house, along with guards wielding long firearms. At least ten ministers are reported to be missing according to expelled minister Roel Rosal. One of the reported ministers, Lowell Menorca II was reported to have been arrested by the
Philippine National Police The Philippine National Police ( fil, Pambansang Pulisya ng Pilipinas, acronymed as PNP) is the armed national police force in the Philippines. Its national headquarters is located at Camp Crame in Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Quezon City. Current ...
in
Dasmariñas Dasmariñas (colloquially shortened to Dasma), officially the City of Dasmariñas ( fil, Lungsod ng Dasmariñas), is a 1st class component city in the province of Cavite, Philippines. With a land area of and a population of 703,141 people acc ...
,
Cavite Cavite, officially the Province of Cavite ( tl, Lalawigan ng Kabite; Chavacano: ''Provincia de Cavite''), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Located on the southern shores of Manila Bay and southwest ...
, located south of Manila after two construction workers were allegedly threatened by Menorca with a grenade. Menorca's lawyer, Allen Blair Boy from the New Era University Legal Aid, questioned whether he was abducted and Boy said that Menorca told him that he was indeed arrested. It is not clear why he was in Dasmariñas, as Menorca was based in
Sorsogon Sorsogon, officially the Province of Sorsogon (Bikol language, Bikol: ''Probinsya kan Sorsogon''; Waray language, Waray: ''Probinsya han Sorsogon''; tl, Lalawigan ng Sorsogon), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines locat ...
province in the southern part of the island of
Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
. On July 29, 2015, Rosal reiterated his claims against the INC leadership. He also accused the Quezon City Police Department of taking sides in the conflict by supporting the INC administration, and denying Angel and Tenny Manalo deliveries of food and water. Rosal also claimed that the captives in the Manalo compound were running out of food and water. In a press conference held July 23, INC minister Isaias Samson, Jr. cited Menorca's case alleging that the military had taken him from Sorsogon to Dasmariñas. He said that the missing ministers were held at Rosalia Compound and the headquarters of the Quezon City Police Department in Quezon City. Arnel Tumanan, Joven Sepillo of
Tacloban Tacloban ( ; ), officially the City of Tacloban ( war, Syudad han Tacloban; fil, Lungsod ng Tacloban), is a first class highly urbanized city in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines. The city is autonomous from the province of Leyte, a ...
, and Nolan Olarte of
Cebu Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 ...
are among the other reported missing ministers. The INC, thru attorney Serafin Cuevas, Jr., filed
libel Defamation is the act of communicating to a third party false statements about a person, place or thing that results in damage to its reputation. It can be spoken (slander) or written (libel). It constitutes a tort or a crime. The legal defini ...
charges against Samson and Joy Yuson, former administrative coordinator of Global Expansion Media TV, then the TV arm of INC, for accusing the church and its Sanggunian members of involvement in various anomalies and alleged abductions of ministers. preliminary investigations for the said case started on September 16, 2015, at the Quezon City RTC. Menorca released a video on October 23, 2015, a few days after he was allegedly rescued from abduction by the Sanggunian and the filing of writ of ''habeas corpus'' by his brother Anthony and sister-in-law Junko Azuka. In the video, he supported the claim that he, together with his wife, children, and housekeeper, were abducted and illegally detained from July 25 to October 21 in the Central Compound by the Sanggunian. He further claimed that he and his family never asked to the Church to give them a house, or to be put into protective custody. The supposed rescue of the Menorca household was first supported by attorney Trixie Cruz-Angeles, the lawyer of the INC's expelled ministers, including Jun Samson. During the alleged illegal detention they claimed to have been barred from leaving the premises and accepting guests. Cellphones and gadgets were also said to not be allowed in the premises. After the video was uploaded, the Menorcas were expelled by the INC. The expulsion papers were signed by minister Radel Cortez.


Isaias Samson, Jr.

Isaias Samson, Jr. was a second-generation INC minister, former Sanggunian member and head of the Foreign Department. He had been demoted due to some cases in his department to the position of an editor of the INC's ''Pasugo'' magazine (a section of INC's Evangelism Department). He held a press conference on July 23 confirming his own detention, stating that he and his family were placed under house arrest by the INC administration, with the involvement of military and police officials. Samson stated that he was detained because of his opposition to Santos and gave a rough estimate of the amount of fund misused by Santos as in the "millions" of pesos, but he gave no evidence. Samson also stated that communication from the outside world was cut off and that passports, computers, phones and other electronic devices were confiscated. He was accused by INC leadership of being "Antonio Ebangelista," a pseudonym used by a minister who had written critical articles that revealed details on Church administration and Santos, a charge Samson denies. Samson and his family escaped by telling the guards they wanted to go to church service. Samson described his imprisonment as "unlawful detention," and called some in the INC administration "dishonest," but stated that he retained his faith in the INC. Samson later claimed corruption within the INC leadership regarding misuse of funds, such as in the "Lingap sa Mamamayan" fund, use of private planes, and investments in the oil industry. On July 25, 2015, INC spokesman Edwil Zabala stated that Samson and his family were expelled from the church for refusing to submit to authority. Samson was replaced by Dennis C. Lovendino, a minister who became the new editor of ''Pasugo'' as of the June 2015 issue. In a separate interview with
CNN Philippines CNN Philippines (abbreviated as CNN PH) is a commercial broadcast, cable and satellite television network in the Philippines. It is owned and operated by Nine Media Corporation, together with Radio Philippines Network (RPN) as the main content ...
, Zabala said that the so-called house arrest of the family of Samson, Jr. was a disciplinary act within the Church (preventive suspension) in which Samson was under investigation, due to his connection to the group in social media that was claiming corruption issues inside the church. On November 17, the Department of Justice dismissed the criminal case filed by Samson and fellow expelled member Lito de Luna Fruto against the INC leaders for lack of
probable cause In United States criminal law, probable cause is the standard by which police authorities have reason to obtain a warrant for the arrest of a suspected criminal or the issuing of a search warrant. There is no universally accepted definition or f ...
. Both Samson and Fruto accused the church of holding them against their will.


Loans

News website
Rappler Rappler (portmanteau of the words "rap" and "ripple") is a Filipino online news website based in Pasig, Metro Manila, the Philippines. It was founded by 2021 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa along with a group of fellow Filipino journalists ...
obtained documents on loans to the Iglesia Ni Cristo in 2014 from two Philippine banks, Metrobank and
Asia United Bank Asia United Bank Corporation (AUB) is among the very few banks that was granted a full-branch commercial bank license in 1997 and is operating until this day. In 2013, AUB joined the league of Philippine Banks that have become publicly listed and ...
, despite the positions of the founder of the church
Felix Y. Manalo Felix Manalo Ysagun (born Félix Ysagun y Manalo; May 10, 1886 – April 12, 1963), also known as Ka Felix, was the founder and the first Executive Minister of Iglesia ni Cristo. Followers see Manalo as a prophet and the last messenger of Go ...
and his son Eraño G. Manalo against the church borrowing money, specially mortgaging church properties to banks. However, unearthed loan documents shows that Iglesia Ni Cristo, represented by Glicerio Santos Jr., the church's General Auditor and his son Atty. Glicerio Santos IV availed of billions of cash loans from Metrobank and Asia United Banks. In addition, several church properties located in Metro Manila, Bulacan,
Nueva Ecija Nueva Ecija, officially the Province of Nueva Ecija ( tgl, Lalawigan ng Nueva Ecija , also ; ilo, Probinsia ti Nueva Ecija; pag, Luyag/Probinsia na Nueva Ecija; Kapampangan: ''Lalawigan/Probinsia ning Nueva Ecija''), is a landlocked province i ...
and
Baguio Baguio ( , ), officially the City of Baguio ( ilo, Siudad ti Baguio; fil, Lungsod ng Baguio), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines. It is known as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines", ...
, including the LIG Condominium housing church ministers and workers beside the church's central office were used as mortgage collateral in exchange for the billion loans. According to the public documents, the loans were obtained to fund the completion of the church's Philippine Arena and
Ciudad Victoria Ciudad Victoria () is the seat of the Municipality of Victoria, and the capital of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It is located in the northeast of Mexico at the foot of the Sierra Madre Oriental. It borders the municipality of Güémez to ...
projects in Bulacan, despite the church leaders's initial pronouncements that the projects were wholly funded allegedly by members’ monetary offerings.


Investigations

On July 24, 2015, the
Department of Justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a v ...
ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate allegations of abduction of INC members. However, it added that it would not interfere with internal disputes. On July 27, 2015, in a statement by Manuel Eduarte, chief of the NBI Anti-Organised Transnational Crime Division, said that the NBI concluded that insufficient evidence showed that the Iglesia ni Cristo abducted some of its ministers. However, on July 29, 2015, Secretary of Justice Leila de Lima clarified that the case had not been closed. Vice President
Jejomar Binay Jejomar "Jojo" Cabauatan Binay Sr. (born Jesus Jose Cabauatan Binay; November 11, 1942) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 13th vice president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016, under President Benigno Aquino III. A hu ...
criticised de Lima's "unwarranted statements" asserting that the case remained open and noted her statement contradicts the reported findings of NBI Anti-Organised Transnational Crime Division. "By your actuations, you are promoting the image of disunity, discord and even corruption in the INC to its clear prejudice and detriment," Binay said that de Lima must respect the
separation of church and state The separation of church and state is a philosophical and jurisprudential concept for defining political distance in the relationship between religious organizations and the state. Conceptually, the term refers to the creation of a secular sta ...
and "unwarranted interference" from the government in the church must not happen. Binay also described De Lima's dealings with the Iglesia ni Cristo controversy as akin to what he describes as a " policy of demolition" targeted towards his own person.


Protests in response to the investigation

On late evening of August 27, about 2,000 Iglesia members led by INC spokesman Edwil Zabala held a vigil outside the
Department of Justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a v ...
office in Manila and later moved to the
Ortigas Interchange The Ortigas Interchange, also known as the EDSA–Ortigas Interchange or the Ortigas Flyover, is a three-level partial stack interchange at the boundary between Mandaluyong and Quezon City in Metro Manila, the Philippines which serves as the jun ...
at
Epifanio De los Santos Avenue Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, commonly referred to by its acronym EDSA, is a limited-access circumferential highway around Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. It passes through 6 of Metro Manila's 17 local government units or cities, ...
and
Ortigas Avenue Ortigas Avenue is a highway running from eastern Metro Manila to western Rizal in the Philippines. It is one of the busiest highways in Metro Manila, serving as the main thoroughfare of the metro's east–west corridor, catering ...
, at the boundary between Quezon City and
Mandaluyong Mandaluyong, officially the City of Mandaluyong ( fil, Lungsod ng Mandaluyong), is a first class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 425,758 people. Loca ...
, east of Manila. The demonstrators protested against the Department of Justice, led by de Lima, for allegedly persecuting their church and called for upholding the
separation of church and state The separation of church and state is a philosophical and jurisprudential concept for defining political distance in the relationship between religious organizations and the state. Conceptually, the term refers to the creation of a secular sta ...
. They also called for the agency to prioritise more important issues.


Reactions


Iglesia ni Cristo


Religious leaders

INC general evangelist Bienvenido Santiago, on July 23, 2015, responding to allegations made by the Manalos in a July 22 video, dismissed the accusations that some INC ministers were abducted and claimed that the two were attacking the church to make it appear that it was involved in the abductions. He also added that the video was an attempt to rally support from church members and to distract the church's management. Santiago said that the church's decision to expel the two Manalos was to show that the INC is a religion that follows the teachings of God found in the Bible, not a business. In a morning Sunday worship on July 26, INC executive minister Eduardo Manalo repeated that members should strictly follow the church's leadership and rules to attain salvation. The media reported that an INC member said that provincial ministers issued a set of (instructions) towards the church's members during the weekend ahead of the church's 101st anniversary celebrations to be held on July 26 in
Ciudad de Victoria Ciudad de Victoria (Spanish for "City of Victory" or "Victory City") also known as the Philippine Arena Complex is a 140-hectare tourism enterprise zone in the towns of Bocaue and Santa Maria in Bulacan, Philippines. It is located north of Metro ...
complex in
Bulacan Bulacan, officially the Province of Bulacan ( tl, Lalawigan ng Bulacan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the city of Malolos. Bulacan was established on August 15, 1578, and part of the Metr ...
. Among these reported instructions were that members decline media inquiries and travel by private cars to the celebrations. During the centennial celebrations, members were provided with service vehicles. Stickers for vehicles with "One with EVM" were reportedly distributed. The media reported an unusually high number of worshipers and vehicles at the INC church in Los Baños. Several tarpaulins bearing the words "One with EVM" were posted outside the building.


Expelled members

Expelled INC minister Roel Rosal and his spouse, Shirley, told reporters on July 23, 2015, that at least 10 ministers were under
house arrest In justice and law, house arrest (also called home confinement, home detention, or, in modern times, electronic monitoring) is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to their residence. Travel is usually restricted, if all ...
. Rosal claimed that auditor Jun Santos and his staff were using donations for the INC to purchase
luxury vehicles A luxury car is a car that provides increased levels of comfort, equipment, amenities, quality, performance, and associated status compared to moderately priced cars. The term is subjective and reflects both the qualities of the car and th ...
. He also said that Angel and Tenny Manalo were hostages. Roel said that the expulsion of the Manalos might have been influenced by a "third party" in the church administration. Isaias Samson, Jr. at a July 23 press conference said that government intervention in the crisis would help resolve the issue. Samson was expelled from the INC the day after his press conference.


Other members and supporters

Fewer than 12 supporters of the church wearing white armbands organised a vigil in support of the Manalos in front of the INC compound in Tandang Sora. By 2:00 am of July 25, no INC member was seen camping outside the compound. Some members used social media to express their support for Eduardo V. Manalo and the Sanggunian. Some members changed their profile photo to an image bearing the words "I am one with EVM," in support of the leadership of Eduardo Manalo. On July 25, 2015, Louie Cayabyab, the minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo locale in
Fremont, California Fremont is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. Located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, Bay Area, Fremont has a population of 230,504 as of 2020, making it the fourth List of cities and towns in the San Fra ...
,
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, resigned his position as minister as a response to the expulsions of Samson and Tenny and Angel Manalo. Cayabyab stated, "Beloved brethren, there are two circulars that are supposed to be read this morning. The first circular is about the expulsion from the Church of the wife and children of Bro. Erano G. Manalo. And another circular is the expulsion from the Church of Bro. Isaias T. Samson Jr., former editor-in-chief of the ''Pasugo''. I decided, brethren, that I won’t read those circulars. You might be asking, 'why?' Because in my heart, in my heart of hearts, I can’t take it. It is, it is just so so difficult to betray one’s heart..." While Cayabyab asked INC members to remain in the church, he urged them to support peaceful vigils held in their areas, and implored them to support brethren in the Philippines "who are risking their lives" to expose corruption and reform the church. In response to Cayabyab's resignation, members of the INC in
Northern California Northern California (colloquially known as NorCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. Spanning the state's northernmost 48 counties, its main population centers incl ...
, numbering in the "dozens," according to
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, held a protest at the INC's main United States office in
Burlingame, California Burlingame () is a city in San Mateo County, California. It is located on the San Francisco Peninsula and has a significant shoreline on San Francisco Bay. The city is named after diplomat Anson Burlingame and is known for its numerous eucalyp ...
, demanding an investigation and tribunal into the corruption allegations, along with the reinstatement of Angel and Tenny Manalo. About a week later those who were identified as having taken part in the protests were expelled from the church. Members of INC from 26 ecclesiastical districts picketed the Department of Justice office in
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
, when Secretary Leila de Lima, on her birthday, officially announced her 2016 senatorial bid. The assembly happened a few days after former minister Samson, Jr., his wife and son, filed illegal detention charges against eight members of the Sanggunian. A respondent of the case, Bienvenido Santiago, Sr., the church's general evangelist, wanted de Lima to focus instead on the
Mamasapano clash The Mamasapano clash was a shootout that took place during a police operation by the Special Action Force (SAF) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on January 25, 2015, in Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, then-undivided Maguindanao (which is now ...
.


Net 25 TV interview with allegedly missing ministers

In an interview with broadcaster Net 25 on July 29, 2015, a broadcaster owned and operated by INC affiliate
Eagle Broadcasting Corporation Eagle Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) is a Filipino Media company based in Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines. Named after the national bird, the '' Philippine eagle'', it is primarily involved in radio and television broadcasting. The primary ...
, ministers Lowell "Boyet" Menorca II, Joel San Pedro, Jojo Nemis and Arnel Tumanan denied being held captive or tortured. They also affirmed their loyalty to the church administration and executive minister
Eduardo Manalo Eduardo Villanueva Manalo (; born October 31, 1955, in Quezon City, Philippines) also known as Ka Erdy is the current Executive Minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC). He is the third generation of the Manalo family to lead the church following ...
and that they were still church members. The ministers also stated that members should not believe the claims of abduction. However, Anthony Menorca, Boyet Menorca's brother, stated that his older brother was forced to deny his abduction because INC Sanggunian was holding Boyet Menorca's wife, Seiko Otsuka Menorca, and their one-year-old child. Anthony stated that in a meeting with his brother, he told him, "My brother warned us we will be killed." Anthony Menorca stated that he was in an undisclosed location and feared for the life of his brother. In a new video released after he was allegedly rescued from the captivity of the Sanggunian on October 21, Menorca clarified, claiming that everything he said in the interview on Net 25 were "scripted".


Interview with Boyet Menorca

On August 1, 2015, Boyet Menorca, along with his wife and child, were interviewed in person outside the INC compound, wherein he denied all allegations of his abduction and pleaded for his brother to stop making claims. He added that he and his family voluntarily decided to stay within the compound because of safety concerns. He was worried that he could potentially be attacked in order to direct the resulting blame on the INC. After the interview, he and his family returned to the INC compound. Later, Menorca stated the interview was held "under duress."


Menorca recounts capture and being held hostage

On October 21, 2015, Lowell Menorca's brother Anthony petitioned the Supreme Court of the Philippines to issue writs of ''habeas corpus'' and ''amparo'' against the INC administration. The request was granted and on October 25, Menorca stated that he was illegally detained by INC, kidnapped by police officers allegedly in INC's employ and had been interrogated for 17 hours. He also stated that police officials tried to kill him afterwards using a hand grenade and that he had to beg for his life, successfully convincing a police officer allegedly hired to murder him not to go through with the killing.


Menorca's arrest in connection with libel charges

On January 20, 2016, on his way to the Court of Appeals to attend a hearing on the illegal detention case, policemen wearing civilian clothes and without badges led by Supt. Ed Leonardo and INC member, arrested Menorca on libel charges filed by SCAN International (the INC's amateur communications and disaster relief arm) in Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte, in the southern Philippines. A standoff between the police, Menorca and his wife Jinky occurred in Manila along
Roxas Boulevard Roxas Boulevard is a popular waterfront promenade in Metro Manila in the Philippines. The boulevard, which runs along the shores of Manila Bay, is well known for its sunsets and stretch of coconut trees. The divided roadway has become a tradema ...
and
Quirino Avenue President Elpidio Quirino Avenue, more commonly known as Quirino Avenue, is a 6-10 lane divided highway in Manila, Philippines. It runs for in a northeast–southwest direction from Nagtahan Bridge (now Mabini Bridge) across from Santa Mesa in ...
when Menorca refused the arrest and claimed that the court had not notified him of libel charges. After the commotion, 20 policemen in uniform showed up to arrest Menorca. MPD Director Chief Supt. Rolando Nana stopped the standoff and told Menorca to go to MPD Station 5 for booking. The church, through spokesman Edwil Zabala, said the INC strongly denied any involvement with the standoff and told Menorca to face the libel charges against him.


Key figures flee the Philippines

Menorca fled to
Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
in March 2016. Moises Tolentino Jr., a lawyer for the Iglesia ni Cristo responded that: "Beset by several libel suits and an adultery charge to boot, enorcatook the cowardly option. He took a hurried flight last night bound for Vietnam. He is now a fugitive from justice..." and "Menorca is supposed to be the aggrieved party. If they were sincere, if they believed that they were in the right, they should not leave the country. They should face all opportunities that should be given to respondents..." Menorca left Vietnam two weeks later and traveled to
Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
planning to move to
Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
,
Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
, since he had a valid United States visa, but because the rest of his family did not, he proceeded instead to seek asylum in
Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
,
British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
,
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
. He then filed an application for refugee status with the
Government of Canada The government of Canada (french: gouvernement du Canada) is the body responsible for the federal administration of Canada. A constitutional monarchy, the Crown is the corporation sole, assuming distinct roles: the executive, as the ''Crown ...
claiming that his life and that of his family members were threatened by the administration of the Iglesia ni Cristo. The
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, and ...
(IRB) granted Menorca refugee status in 2018, stating that Menorca was "a person in need of protection from a risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment and a risk to his life." The IRB further stated, "When the panel considers the links between the INC and the law enforcement authorities in the Philippines, the general climate of impunity that pervades Philippines law enforcement particularly with respect to the issue of extrajudicial killing, and the level of corruption that exists in the Philippines government and law enforcement apparatus, the panel is satisfied enorcawould be unable to avail himself of state protection, from the risks that he fears in that country...." and that " he INC'spower and influence extends to an ability to utilise oliceto target the claimant." Aedtnavye Juntilla “AJ” Lazo, who was accused by her husband of having an affair with Menorca, was arrested in Cebu on June 22, 2019, for her failure to attend the mandatory court hearing in her adultery case, according to authorities. Both Lazo and her husband, Davis Chavez Flores, are members of Iglesia ni Cristo. Menorca replied to the accusations “Right now, no comment; they are digging up dirt and fabricating stories against me. I already talked to my lawyers about that." Rovic Gloria Canono : The First Filipino recognized by Canada as Convention Refugee on the Basis of Iglesia Ni Cristo Religious Persecution
thumb The thumb is the first digit of the hand, next to the index finger. When a person is standing in the medical anatomical position (where the palm is facing to the front), the thumb is the outermost digit. The Medical Latin English noun for thumb ...
Rovic Gloria Canono who was allegedly behind a blog entitled ''Sher Lock'' that supposedly denounced the corruption within the church's ranks, also fled the Philippines after being charged with various cases by church members including a libel case filed by INC top leader Eduardo Manalo. Canono arrived and applied for asylum in Canada in December 2016. In a hearing in February 2017, his claim was accepted by the Immigration and Refugee Board on the basis of religious persecution as mandated by the United Nations Convention on Refugees of 1951. Canono was allegedly found guilty of concubinage filed by members of Iglesia Ni Cristo. In 2019, Canono, a past president of the Rotary Club, was honoured by the Rotary Club of Circuit Makati with the Rovic Canono Human Rights Award for his valuable work in the protection of victims of human rights violations and religious persecution. The award is given to films that examine human rights in the Philippines.


Assassinations and disappearances of Iglesia ni Cristo critics

Jose Norulito Fruto was expelled from the INC in the early part of 2015 for his critical statements against the church. Fruto, who was also an American citizen, was initially under the witness protection program by the Philippine government in April 2015, as he claimed to have received threats due to his allegations against the INC leadership. In November 2015, he filed a complaint against members of the INC's top administrative body, the Sanggunian, accusing them of coercion, harassment, threats, and arbitrary detention. Fruto said he had been forcibly taken at gunpoint from his Caloocan residence based on a complaint of alleged rape against him, which he said was fabricated by INC. Fruto claimed that they were held by the INC against their will because of their supposed exposes against the church. He also said the judge in the rape case, who also slapped Fruto with a hold departure order, was a member of the INC. On May 24, 2017, whilst driving to Cavite, he was shot dead by an unidentified gunman at the southern terminus of the Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX), at the intersection with
Tirona Highway The Tirona Highway is a two-to-four lane, primary highway in Cavite, Philippines. The road was named for Filipino revolutionary leader Daniel Tirona. The road is a component of the National Route 62 (N62) of the Philippine highway network The ...
in
Kawit Kawit, officially the Municipality of Kawit ( tgl, Bayan ng Kawit), is a first-class municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Cavite, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population ...
, Cavite, southwest of Manila. In a statement, Menorca hailed him as 'one of the bravest people" he knew, adding, "We just lost a comrade at arms, this is a sad day for truth-loving Christians all over the world." At the height of the INC church crisis, two former members of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) have gone missing, in two separate incidents that occurred within days of each other. Danilo Patungan, a security guard for a condominium in
Bonifacio Global City Bonifacio may refer to: Places * Bonifacio, Corse-du-Sud, a town in Corsica, France * Strait of Bonifacio, separating Corsica from Sardinia * Bonifacio, Misamis Occidental, a municipality in the Philippines * Bonifacio Global City, a central bu ...
district of
Taguig Taguig (), officially the City of Taguig ( fil, Lungsod ng Taguig), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in Metro Manila, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 886,722 people. Located in the northwestern shores of ...
, Metro Manila, has been missing since leaving for work the afternoon of April 11, 2017. Days later, another expelled INC member, Felix Villocino, also went missing and had not returned to his Quezon City residence in days. Several excommunicated INC members fear that this was a repeat of the reported abductions of expelled church ministers. Both Patungan and Villocino had links to Angel Manalo. Patungan had been a security guard for Angel for 16 years, before moving to his current job at the condominium. Villocino, meanwhile, had long been delivering food and other supplies to the Manalos' residence in Tandang Sora, Quezon City. Villocino was expelled after siding with Angel Manalo. On April 20, 2017, Antonio Ebangelista, the pseudonymous blogger involved in leaking information regarding the internal structures of the INC, confirmed a radio report that a body found in
Bustos, Bulacan Bustos, officially the Municipality of Bustos ( tgl, Bayan ng Bustos), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 77,199 people. With the continuous expansion of Met ...
north of Manila was that of Villocino.


Governmental


Politicians

The Bulacan chapter of the
League of Municipalities of the Philippines The League of Municipalities of the Philippines - or more simply the League of Municipalities or LMP - is a formal organization of all the municipalities in the Philippines. Presently, sixty eight municipalities are part of this organization. Stat ...
(LMP) posted tarpaulin streamers with photographs of 20 mayors in the province greeting the church on its 101st anniversary. Pandi Mayor Enrico Roque, president of LMP Bulacan, said that the tarpaulin was displayed to express their continuing friendship and respect to the church, in response to a report that a Bulacan mayor complained to church leaders that a minister from the INC attempted to extort money from the official. Roque said that the group says that they are in complete support of the INC.


Eli Soriano

On his
Twitter Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
account,
Eli Soriano Eliseo "Eli" Fernando Soriano (; April 4, 1947 – February 10, 2021) was a Filipino preacher and televangelist. He was the "Overall Servant" ( Tagalog: ''Lingkod Pangkalahatan,'' formerly called "Presiding Minister") of the Members Church of ...
of
Members Church of God International Member may refer to: * Military jury, referred to as "Members" in military jargon * Element (mathematics), an object that belongs to a mathematical set * In object-oriented programming, a member of a class ** Field (computer science), entries in ...
expressed support for Secretary de Lima and urged her not to resign.


Other groups


Commission on Human Rights

Commission on Human Rights A human rights commission, also known as a human relations commission, is a body set up to investigate, promote or protect human rights. The term may refer to international, national or subnational bodies set up for this purpose, such as nationa ...
chairperson José Luis Martin "Chito" Gascon on July 24 said that the human rights body is monitoring the situation and had yet to launch a formal investigation. The rights body stated that it was avoiding a "premature conclusion" regarding the situation. It described the situation as "primarily a police matter" and is looking into allegations before taking action.


Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop
Socrates Villegas Sócrates Buenaventura Villegas (born September 28, 1960) is a Filipino prelate, and a professed member of the Dominican Order, He is the current Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan in Pangasinan, and is the former president of the Catholic Bisho ...
, president of the
Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines; ceb, Hugpong sa mga Obispo nga Katoliko sa Pilipinas; bcl, Komperensya kan mga Obispo Katoliko kan Pilipinas; hil, Komperensya sang mga Obispo Katoliko sang Pilipinas; ilo, Kumperensya ti ...
, on July 24 requested prayers for Iglesia members. Villegas said in Tagalog, "As with their plea, I also ask that we pray for our brethren in the Iglesia ni Cristo...Brother Angel and his relatives are requesting prayers, that we pray for them." He added that he respected the decision of the Iglesia, which like the church, is "bound by rules and regulations".


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Iglesia Ni Cristo expulsions, 2015 July 2015 Iglesia Ni Cristo expulsions of July 2015 controversies 2015 in Christianity 2015 in the Philippines Benigno Aquino III administration controversies Feuds Manalo family Misconduct by Christian clergy Christianity-related controversies Scandals in Christian organizations Religious scandals