Iglesia Ni Cristo® Congressman Rodante Marcoleta leaves the Minority in Favor of Duterte's Majority Block at the Request of the INC™'s Administration

... and there was NO PROTEST against "SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE"!!

Photo Source: Manila Balita

"Asked why Marcoleta left, Lagman said the party-list congressman informed him that he was joining the majority coalition at the request of the Iglesia ni Cristo, a highly influential religious group known for voting as a bloc."

By: DJ Yap

Tweeter @deejayapINQ

Philippine Daily Inquirer

October 2nd, 2016

The House opposition’s “Legitimate 8” is now the “Magnificent 7.”

An independent minority faction in the House of Representatives initially composed of eight lawmakers has lost one of its key members to President Duterte’s “supermajority.”

Sagip party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta “is applying for membership” in the majority, according to Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, a member of the opposition faction that supported the bid of Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat to be minority leader in July.

“Though we’re no longer the ‘Legitimate 8,’ now we’re the ‘Magnificent 7,’” Lagman told the Inquirer.

Asked why Marcoleta left, Lagman said the party-list congressman informed him that he was joining the majority coalition at the request of the Iglesia ni Cristo, a highly influential religious group known for voting as a bloc.

Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas confirmed the move, but said Marcoleta had given him a different reason.

“I received a letter from him asking me to accept him in the majority pursuant to our rules,” he said.

“The reason he cited was he had realized that his advocacies were more aligned with those of the majority,” said Fariñas, also the chair of the powerful committee on rules.

He clarified, however, that Marcoleta’s transfer was not yet final. “Even if the authority is with me to act on his request, out of courtesy to the Speaker [Pantaleon Alvarez], I’ll consult with him first,” he told the Inquirer.

Lagman said he was not too upset by Marcoleta’s departure from their bloc, whose members have been critical of President Duterte and his policies.

“Even though we lost a member, we are still recognized as the real minority,” he said, noting that Minority Leader Danilo Suarez “is not being critical” of the administration at all.

The other members of their “magnificent” group are Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice, Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, Capiz Rep. Emmanuel Billones, Akbayan Rep. Tomasito Villarin and Northern Samar Rep. Raul Daza.

Except for the party-list lawmakers, Baguilat, Lagman and the three others belong to the former ruling Liberal Party (LP) whose numbers have been decimated by Mr. Duterte’s PDP-Laban, now the dominant force in the chamber.

Twenty-eight LP members led by former Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. have joined the administration bandwagon, a multiparty coalition that has been touted as Mr. Duterte’s supermajority.

Over P1B bank loans for the Iglesia ni Cristo’s Philippine Arena? -Rappler

MILLIONS IN LOANS? Documents show that key INC officials were signatories in loan agreements to fund the Ciudad de Victoria project, which includes the Philippine arena.

The late INC executive minister Eraño Manalo once said, 'Ang Iglesia ni Cristo ay walang utang kahit na saang bangko. Ang Iglesia ni Cristo ay hindi nagsasanla ng mga titulo ng lupa para lamang makakuha ng pondo.'

By Katerina Francisco for RAPPLER

Published 12:59 PM, July 27, 2016 
(INC 102 Founding Anniversary)

MANILA, Philippines – It was touted as a world-class structure fit to showcase the growing clout of homegrown Philippine church Iglesia ni Cristo (INC). On Wednesday, July 27, the influential church celebrates its 102nd year.

Two years ago in 2014, the Iglesia opened the Philippine Arena, the world’s largest indoor theater, to widespread attention: an P8.7-billion ($200 million) megastructure that served as the centerpiece of the sprawling 75-hectare Ciudad de Victoria complex in Bulacan.

Conceived, designed, and envisioned as a world-class stage for local and international events, the arena has played host to several events: from the INC’s centennial celebrations, to a concert by local celebrity tandem AlDub, and a performance by American pop superstar Katy Perry.

An expert on sociology of religion, Jayeel Cornelio said of the Iglesia ni Cristo in a previous interview that the Philippine Arena "is an establishment, is a marker, of what they (INC) are right now in the 21st century. They're not a religion in the Philippines. They're a religion in the world.”

Funds for the arena, the INC said, came from the donations of its members, a practice that aligns with the teachings of the church’s second executive minister, the late Eraño “Ka Erdy” Manalo.

In some of his messages to INC members, Ka Erdy had emphasized that the INC should spend within its means, and denounced the idea of the church incurring debts to fund its projects.

Documents obtained by Rappler, however, showed that INC officials had engaged in agreements with two banks, to obtain a P1.137 billion loan to partially fund the construction of Phase 1 of the Ciudad de Victoria project.

According to recitals in the loan documents, Phase 1 of the project includes the construction of a “multi-purpose indoor arena, and certain commercial and retail buildings and structures.”

But several amendments to the agreements showed that INC leaders had asked for additional amounts of up to P3 billion to repay the existing loan.

To secure these loan agreements, at least 61 INC-owned properties – ranging from church sites to residential and agricultural areas in Metro Manila, Nueva Ecija, Rizal, Cavite, and Baguio – were put up as mortgaged collateral.

In addition to this, 317 condominium units in Quezon City, with a total market value of more than P1 billion, were also included as collateral.

Up to P3 billion requested

Based on the documents, the INC was one of the parties in loan agreements entered into by the Maligaya Development Corporation (MDC) with two banks: the Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company (MBTC) and the Asia United Bank Corporation (AUB).

MDC, the borrower, was represented by Glicerio Santos IV, while the INC was represented by the church’s auditor, Glicerio Santos Jr. (READ: Part 1: Who is Glicerio Santos Jr in the Iglesia ni Cristo?)

Santos Jr was also the signatory for the Felix Y. Manalo Foundation (FMF) and the New Era University (NEU).

According to the memorandum of agreement among MDC, NEU, and INC, the church agreed to turnover the completion of Phase 1 of the Ciudad de Victoria project to NEU, with the participation of MDC.

NEU and MDC were to take part in the “financing, construction and development” of the project.

To finance this, MDC acted as borrower in a March 2014 omnibus loan and security agreement with lender MBTC. The latter agreed to provide P1,137,500,000 to partially fund the construction and development of Phase 1 of the project.

But in July 2014, MDC requested for P750 million from MBTC to repay its existing loan.

A month after that, MDC and MBTC entered into a second amendment to the omnibus agreement. MDC sought up to P3 billion to repay its existing loan, putting the total principal amount to up to P4,887,500,000.

Mortgaged collateral

To secure the loan, MDC and the third party mortgagors (those who mortgage their property) – INC and FMF – provided additional mortgaged collateral, covering 61 INC-owned properties. These properties ranged from church sites to agricultural properties to residential ones, located in various areas in Metro Manila, Nueva Ecija, Cavite, and Baguio.

In addition to this, 317 units owned by the INC in LIG Condominium in Quezon City were included as additional mortgaged collateral. According to the appraisal report, the units have a total market value of P1,000,317,000.

The condominium certificates of title for several units in LIG stated that the units were mortgaged to guarantee the P3-billion loan from MBTC.

These were also the same set of properties mortgaged for a P2 billion loan – this time from AUB.

In March 2014, MDC also entered into an agreement with AUB for a similar purpose: to request P1.137 billion to partially fund the construction of the Ciudad de Victoria phase 1 project.

A subsequent amendment to the agreement had MDC requesting for an additional P750 million to repay its existing loan with AUB. A second amendment asked for an additional amount of up to P2 billion, putting the total principal amount to up to P3,887,500,000.

In its agreements with AUB, the Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company-Trust Banking Group acted as collateral agent, with the INC, FMF, and other registered owners of the mortgaged collateral as third party mortgagors.

Separate mortgage supplements with AUB and with MBTC also identified two agricultural properties in Barangay Maligaya, San Miguel, Bulacan as part of mortgaged collateral.

Both properties listed several INC ministers as owners. In one of them, the names of Benefrido C. Santiago, Bienvenido C. Santiago, Glicerio B. Santos Jr, Arnel A. Tumanan, and Lowell C. Menorca were mentioned.

Lowell C. Menorca is the father of former INC evangelical worker Lowell Menorca II, who fled the Philippines with his family citing alleged harassment from the church leadership.

In an email to Rappler, the younger Menorca said that he only learned about the Bulacan property fairly recently. He also said that his father had acted as a “custodian” of the property.

“As far as I know, it was under internal arrangement within the Church Administration and the INC Legal Department because he never claimed it to be his nor profited from it, he was probably just a custodian of the property as a trustee of the Executive Minister,” he said.

Menorca added that it was “common practice” for Sanggunian ministers to be named as owners of church properties, because they were among those trusted by the executive minister.

Letter from EVM

While the loan agreements made it clear that it was the two Santoses who were signatories, the loans were made with the knowledge of the current executive minister, Eduardo Manalo.

In a notarized resolution dated February 10, 2014, Manalo acknowledged that the INC had entered into a memorandum of agreement with NEU and MDC for the Ciudad de Victoria project, and that the INC and NEU have agreed to “give the required collateral securities to secure such financing from the Project lenders.”

Corporate Resolution No. 02-2014 further stated that MDC has proposed to secure “one or more loan and credit facilities” from banks to obtain the aggregate principal amount of up to P3.5 billion to partially finance the project.

It added that the INC has agreed to provide the required collateral securities and letters of support for MDC after having “independently satisfied itself that it will derive direct and indirect economic benefit from the arrangements contemplated in the agreements for the Loan Facilities and that the execution by it of said agreements will result in corporate benefits to it.”

This resolution from Manalo showed that he was aware of, and approved entering into the loan agreements, even as his late father had denounced the idea of the church incurring any debts.

In one of his speeches, Ka Erdy declared that the church has never started on a project without first ensuring that it had enough funds.

“Pagka mayroong ipagagawa ang Iglesia, tinitingnan muna namin ang kabang yaman, tinatanong ko muna ang may hawak ng pananalapi, kaya ba ng Iglesia? Nung ipagawa ang templo, wala kayong narinig, wala kaming isinerkular, ‘Mga kapatid, umabuloy kayo para doon sa ginagawang templo,’ hindi po,” he said.

(Whenever the Iglesia was planning to have something built, we first look at our treasury, we ask if the Iglesia can afford it. When we had the temple constructed, you did not hear anything from us, we did not issue circulars asking you to donate for the temple.)

“Hindi kami humingi ng karagdagan sapagka't hindi namin sinimulan ang bagay na ‘yun na hindi sapat ang pananalapi ng Iglesia…Hindi namin kayo ginambala, at lalo naming hindi isinanla ang mga propriedad, mga lupa ng Iglesia,” he added.

(We did not ask for additional contributions, because we do not start any project if the Iglesia does not have sufficient funds for it…We did not bother you, and we did not mortgage the properties and lands of the Iglesia.)

In another message, he said, "Ang Iglesia ni Cristo ay walang utang kahit na saang bangko. Ang Iglesia ni Cristo ay hindi nagsasanla ng mga titulo ng lupa para lamang makakuha ng pondo."

(The Iglesia ni Cristo has no debts to any bank. The Iglesia ni Cristo does not mortgage land titles just to obtain funds.)

Squandered church properties?

While it is normal for corporations to secure bank loans for various uses, the issue for several INC members lies in the fact that the church had once proudly declared that it owed no bank any debts.

No less than Ka Erdy, once the church's highest official, had warned against it, saying in one of his messages that the moment someone incurs debt, "buwisit na ang kanyang buhay."

One Iglesia member said that the INC's involvement in these loan agreements is a big deal for members because it runs counter to Ka Erdy's teachings for the church not to spend beyond its means.

"In the past administration, it was a rule that the church does not borrow money...For the members, they're not used to the fact that the Iglesia has debts. So when this came out, we were shocked," she said.

She added that whispers of the controversy had even started to affect members' donations, with ministers taking to the podium week after week to encourage members to give more offerings.

In the past, she said, one would not even hear the clink of coins in the collection basket, because members were putting in paper bills. But it's not the case these days.

"We're concerned about the church's funds. Utos sa amin ang pagbibigay, pag-aabuloy. Pero papaano kami tutupad sa utos kung nilulustay ang pera? (We are commanded to give offerings to the church. But how we can we follow this if the money is being wasted?)"

Although the INC is not the direct borrower in the loan agreements, she pointed out that some of the church's highest officials are still involved.

Another Iglesia member also said that there seems to be more pressure on members to help with the church's expenses.

"Now we're being asked to chip in, that's very unusual. And when you connect the dots, it seems that perhaps we do have debts. A church is supposed to be non-profit, but you see the Philippine Arena that's not raking in profits. How do you sustain it?"

While it is not clear if the MDC had received and made full use of the billions it requested from the banks, the documents showed that church leaders requested at least P1.137 billion to partially finance the construction of the Philippine Arena and other related development included in Phase 1 of the Ciudad de Victoria project.

The arena, constructed at a staggering cost of P8.7 billion, was envisioned to be a prime venue for concerts, sports events, and conferences. It even has 8 private rooms, offering VIP guests with special viewing decks and plush theater seats. (FAST FACTS: Iglesia ni Cristo's Philippine Arena)

So far, the arena – located north of the Philippines’ capital region – has hosted only a handful of big-ticket events. Based on its website, its latest event was the Maligaya Summer Blast, held last May.

The arena has also been used for some of the church’s evangelical missions and activities.

An INC insider also said that some of the mortgaged property were housing for church ministers, but added that these ministers have no choice but to stay silent about their concerns, for fear that they might be kicked out of their residential units.

Rappler has repeatedly sought comment from the INC, but has yet to receive a reply as of posting.

For his part, Menorca criticized how the church’s properties were “squandered” under the current leadership.

“It is so saddening that after all these years, all the properties and monumental successes of the Church under the previous Executive Minister, were shamefully squandered away after decades of careful and meticulous stewardship,” he said.

He added, “We continue to hope and pray that the whole truth will be revealed, not to further humiliate the church but to finally expose the wrongdoings inside the church administration in order to put a stop to it and hopefully restore the church to its pristine condition.” – Rappler.com

PART 2: EVM ACCESSION TO OFFICE AS EXECUTIVE MINISTER OF THE IGLESIA NI CRISTO (CHURCH OF CHRIST) IS ILLEGAL BASE ON HIS OWN EVIDENCES

BY BENITO AFFLECK ·SUNDAY, JULY 17, 2016

P A R T  T W O

Let us open now the ANNEX - “D” to “D-14” , but before scrutinizing the whole inclusions in the said annexes, I will start on Annexes “D-7” to D-14”, the CHURCH COUNCIL’S CERTIFICATE , further says ;

“ x x x x x We, constituting the majority of the members of the Church Council of the IGLESIA NI CRISTO, with its Executive Minister ERANO G. MANALO as corporation sole, duly organized and existing by virtue of the laws of the Republic of the Philippines and with principal office at the INC Building No, 1 Central Avenue, New Era , Quezon City, Philippines, do hereby CERTIFY that at the General Meeting of the members of the Church Council held on April 25, 2007, at the principal office of the Church with the same address above=mentioned, at which a majority of the memers of the Church Council were present and voted throughout, the members of the Church Council voted and adopted that the Church’s By-Laws be correspondingly amended to reflect the changes proposed, discussed and approved by the Church Council and which changes are reflected in the copies of said By-Laws.

We further certify that the attached copies of the Second Amendment of the Iglesia ni Cristo By-Laws are true and correct copies of the Amended By-Laws.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, We have hereunto set our hands this 25th day of April 2007, in Quezon City, Philippines ..

Scanned pictures of signed documents attached. hereto.I put “ color” coding to emphasize the MISREPRESENTATIONS and technicalities of the said CHURCH COUNCIL’S CERTIFICATE . RED - questionable ; ORANGE - CTC acquired January of 2007 ; GREEN - for the month of February, 2007 ; BROWN - for the month of March, 2007 and YELLOW - for the month of April, 2007

 

The above document was signed April 25, 2007 duly scribscribed, sworn and notarized (again!!!) by ATTY. SUSAN MAY C. TUAZON ( now with her real Attorney’s Roll Number and IBP Number ) affixed her signature ,place of commssion, Quezon City, Office address No. 1 Central Avenue, New Era, Quezon City , Roll of Attorney’s No. 34477 , PTR No. 8437841, QC on January 4, 2007 and IBP Lifetime No. 02067. Docketed the said documents under Docket Number 28; Page Number 7; Book No. XIII; Series of 2007 .

Question No. 1, if the said document is legally subscribed and sworn to dated April 25, 2007 why are there COMMUNITY TAX CERTIFICATES presented dated : December 10, 2007 for Ministers ISAIAS T. SAMSON JR. , CTC No. 07584423 and RENE J. PANONCILLO , CTC No. 07584452 both issued in Quezon City ? Also, Minister EMILIANO C. MAGTOTO, JR , dated September 19, 2007 with CTC No. 04279688. ? Did Atty check the document before she signed and notarized it ? Or its just still a FICTITIOUS and FRAUDULENT document presented in order to justify the ACCESSION to OFFICE ?

2. Don’t you know that issuance of COMMUNITY TAX CERTIFICATES every year started with number “ 0” or “1” in the whole country ? Why then, CTC issued in December and September started with the number “0” ?

My curiousity dictates me to do the research on all those COMMUNITY TAX CERTIFICATES so i gather all numbers and dates of issuances to find out that , majority are just like raffling of winning numbers of Jueteng or LOTTO , others are real (very few) , the funniest thing I discovered there are dates that are Sundays. Well, dates they knew are recycled dates . Very obvious these are fraudulents CTC numbers.

CTC of Minister DAN V. OROSA is 075332086 , dated Jan 30 , 2007 ? Which do you think comes first CTC N. 075332086 or 07532901 , acquired Jan 4, 2007 under the name of Brother Erano G. Manalo ? Both from the issuance of Quezon City.

Minister Ramil Parba assigned as Secretary for Research, has his CTC No. 21400196, issued February 07, 2007 in Quezon City. The corresponding CTC Number was never issued in February of 2007. .

Minister Ed Carigma CTC No. 04049809 , place of issue Cebu City was issued Sunday . There is no office in weekend . so how come he can acquired it ?

Spot the difference in these two (2) CTC Numbers 07648412 & 06788716 issued to Ministers RENATO D. CALLEJO in Kalibo Aklan and DANIEL M. LAPADA issued in Tuguegarao both in the same date of March 12,2007 ..

No issuance of CTC Numbers starting in “0” in the months of March and April

Another SPOT the difference, CTC Nos. 14571517 issued to Minister DIONISIO D. MAGNO issued in Roxas Isabela and 14528715 to Minister NATHANIEL M. TRIGUERO , issued in Lucena City the latter was April 16, 2007 and the first one was February 20, 2007. Two different municipalities , the start of first 3 digits number did not correspond on the right month of issuance of the said CTC numbers.

While, Minister ERNESTO A. PACIENTE”s CTC is missing one digit . CTC has an eight digit numbers after the year of issuance . Maybe we can say it was a typo error, if the judge will admit it or we can say “Tell it to the marines !!!” they check it before signing to see if there are some corrections. One or two corrections are enough, but more than those a mere MISREPRESENTATIONS or in fact a FRAUDULENT one.

Minister JOEL F. PEDROSO got his CTC No. 23136977 , dated February 25, 2007 at Donsol, Sorsogon. February 25, 2007 is Sunday and the celebration of EDSA REVOLUTION a public holiday.

No issuance of CTC numbers started in “2” in January 2007, so how come Minister AZRIEL M. PELAEZ had his CTC No. 26653132 issued in Coron, Palawan ?

Same thing with Minister ROBERTO ALCONTIN ‘s CTC number 24452056 , issued in Pagadian City . Likewise, the rest of ministers fake COMMUNITY TAX CERTIFICATES sufficient enough to NULLIFY the CHURCH COUNCIL’S CERTIFICATE done April 25, 2007.

Records in Securities Exchange Commission shows that the said CHURCH COUNCIL’S CERTIFICATE was only received with receive stamp JANUARY 24, 2008 and it was the HRAD who received the said copy. HRAD is the HUMAN RESOURCE and ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENT who is not an authorized department to receive and docketed this kind of document.. The functions of this department are 1. Oversees all human resource and administrative support functions for the SEC, including equipment, supplies, mail, and facility security.2. Oversees all activities related to employment policies and practices. Ensures SEC compliance with all Philippine labor laws. Interacts with related government agencies as necessary in establishing policies and practices and addressing employee grievances. Why HRAD ?

Every document submitted in the proper department who has the jurisdiction over the matter has a proper documentation of it will be reflected in the Corporate Filing and Records Division , INC LEGAL DEPARTMENT has his liason officer who are doing business with the rignt department in SEC , what happened ? Or Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix wands made it ????

The said CHURCH COUNCILS CERTIFICATE was made and notarized April 25, 2007 , why is is only JANUARY 24, 2008 it was submitted in SEC through HRAD ? Are we missing something here?

...to be continued ...

German INC™ Head Deacon Defected

Jorg Ney, 2nd Head Deacon from Germany

Ang INC at ang Mafia!

Lowell Menorca II, ang palabang dating kaanib ng INC™ (Photo Source: Rappler)

Source: Bandera
Sinulat ni Ramon Tulfo

ANG Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) ay maihahambing sa Mafia ng America .

Pareho silang may mga galamay sa gobiyerno at sa ilang sektor ng lipunan.

Pareho silang kinatatakutan ng kanilang mga miyembro, at maging taga-labas, dahil sa kanilang taglay na kapangyarihan at impluwensiya.

Ang pagkakaiba lang ay ang INC ay isang relihiyon na itinatag sa ating bansa, na tinuturuan daw ang mga miyembro ng pagmamahal sa kapwa, samantalang ang Mafia ay isang criminal gang na pumapatay.

Pero pareho ang dalawa sa paraan upang sundin ng kanilang mga miyembro ang vow of silence: pinatatahimik habambuhay ang mga lumabag sa panata.

Since the Mafia is not operating in the Philippines , hayaan na natin ito at ipagpaubaya na natin ito sa mga otoridad sa America .

Pag-usapan natin ang INC.

Ipinakita ng simbahan ang pangil nito nang ipinag-utos nito ang pag-aresto kay Lowell Menorca II, isang itiniwalag na ministro, upang pigilin siyang makapagtestigo sa Court of Appeals.

Kasama ni Menorca ang kanyang asawa at 2-taong gulang na anak na babae patungo sa appellate court nang sila’y masabat ng ilang pulis na diumano’y mga miyembro ng INC.

Titestigo sana si Menorca sa Court of Appeals sa kanyang demanda laban sa mga lider ng simbahan na diumano’y nagbigay ng utos na siya’y dukutin noong isang taon.

Pilit na isinama ng mga pulis na miyembro ng INC si Menorca , na ministro noon sa Bulan, Sorsogon patungong Maynila.

Sinabi niya na ipinadukot siya ng mga matataas na opisyal ng INC dahil pinaghihinalaan nila na siya ang may kagagawan ng pagpapakalat ng diumano’y katiwalaan sa loob ng INC sa online posts.

Sa madaling salita, gusto siyang patahimikin.

Sinabi ni Menorca na sa daan patungong Maynila, pinagtangkaan siyang patayin ng mga pulis pero isa sa kanila ay naawa sa kanya.

Kinulong siya sa isang jail sa Cavite at inilipat siya sa INC central compound ng hindi niya kagustuhan bago nag-utos ang Supreme Court na siya’y pakawalan.

Ang tiyempo o timing at paraan ng pag-aresto kay Menorca noong Miyerkoles ay lantarang kawalan ng paggalang ng INC sa batas.

Alam ng simbahan na papunta si Menorca sa Court of Appeals upang tumestigo, pero inaresto siya dahil sa isang warrant sa isang maliit na kaso.

Inaresto si Menorca na para siyang pusakal na kriminal samantalang ang kaso ay libel, isang non-violent crime.

Sa aking karanasan bilang columnist na maraming kasong libel na isinampa sa akin, sinasabihan ako na may nakasampa na kasong libel sa akin at ako ay pumupunta sa korte.

Hindi naman heinous crime ang libel gaya ng murder, rape o kidnapping. May mga panukala nga na gawin na lang civil case ang libel at hindi criminal case.

Ang libel ay isinampa ng ilang miyembro ng INC kay Menorca sa Lanao del Norte at ang judge at agad na nag-isyu ng warrant laban sa kanya.

Walang subpoena na natanggap si Menorca galing sa piskal ng Lanao del Norte bago isinampa nito ang kaso sa korte.

Ibig sabihin, madalian ang pag-isyu ng warrant kay Menorca .

Ganoon ang kapangyarihan ng INC.

Maraming miyembro ng INC ang nakahawak ng makapangyarihang puwesto sa Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Prosecution Service, sa mga Regional Trial Courts, sa Court of Appeals at maging sa Supreme Court.

Utang nila ang kanilang puwesto sa kanilang simbahan.

May kumakalat na balita, na maaaring eksaherado, na ilang miyembro ng INC ay papatay upang ipagtanggol ang kanilang simbahan, gaya ng mga jihadists na handang pasabugin ang kanilang sarili para sa Islam.

Yan ay dahil sa matagal na indoctrination

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Lottie Manalo to brother Eduardo: Why are you keeping us away? -Rappler

Source: Rappler

Echoing the calls of her brother, Angel, Lottie Manalo Hemedez appeals to their older brother, Eduardo, to talk to the family and end the controversy in the Iglesia ni Cristo

'TALK TO US.' Lottie Manalo-Hemedez appeals to her brother, INC leader Eduardo Manalo, to talk to the family and end the long-running controversy rocking the church. Photo by Alecs Ongcal/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – For the first time since being expelled from the influential Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), Lottie Manalo Hemedez faced the media to appeal to her brother, INC executive minister Eduardo Manalo, to talk to his siblings and end the long-running controversy rocking the 101-year-old church.

"We want to talk to him to find out the cause of the disagreement between us. We want to know why he's angry at us. He hasn't given us a reason," Lottie said in a press conference on Friday, January 15.

Hemedez said she and her brother Angel still do not know why they were being harassed, deprived of their rights within the residence they claim as their own, and denied the opportunity to speak to their older brother.

Lottie, Angel, and Eduardo are among the 6 children of second Iglesia executive minister Eraño "Erdy" Manalo and Cristina "Tenny" Manalo. Eraño died in 2009, leaving his eldest son Eduardo in charge of the 2.25-million-strong church. (INFOGRAPHIC: The Manalos of the Iglesia ni Cristo)

It was after their father's death that things slowly started to change, Hemedez said. Within a few months, Eduardo began slowly distancing himself from the family, until they weren't able to talk to him at all.

"After my father passed away, nag-umpisa na unti-unti. Maraming mga bawal, hindi na kami pwedeng dumalaw ng Central. Kapag tinatanong namin bakit, ang laging sasabihin, "Atas ng pamamahala." Wala po kaming magagawa kundi sumunod kasi atas ng pamamahala, pero wala silang binibigay na reason," Lottie said.

(Everything slowly started to change when my father passed away. Suddenly there were a lot of things that were prohibited, we could not visit the Central Office. When we ask why, we were told it's upon orders of the leadership. We couldn't do anything but follow, but they didn't give us a reason why.)

"We asked countless times to be able to speak to our brother, but we were always turned away," she added.

In July 2015, Angel and his mother Tenny appeared in a YouTube video to appeal for help, claiming that their lives were in danger. Eduardo later expelled his own mother and siblings for exposing the supposed death threat and allegedly creating divisions within the church.

Since then, the siblings have cried harassment by the church's top leaders. Their residence at 36 Tandang Sora in Quezon City is now the subject of competing ownership claims, and electricity inside the compound has been cut off. A portalet and guardhouse blocked the driveway, and fences were put up.

While the INC leadership said these were security measures to protect themselves from unknown masked men seen entering the compound, the Manalo siblings claim these were forms of harassment designed to force them out of Tandang Sora.

No power struggle

It has been 5 years since Lottie last spoke with her elder brother. She said she was puzzled by Eduardo's silence and distance from them, saying that they used to be close and that he was a "kuya (older brother) in every sense of the word."

A few months before their father died, Eduardo even promised that he would take care of his siblings.

"'Pinatawag niya kaming lahat. Nakaidlip nang kaunti ang father ko, tapos sabi ng mother ko, na'ndito na si Eddie. And when my father saw him sabi niya, 'Huwag mong pababayaan ang mga kapatid mo.' And he promised that he would do that.... Sabi niya, kung ano ang aming kalagayan, ipagpapatuloy niya," Lottie said.

(My father called us all to him. He was sleeping at the time, and when Eduardo came, my mother woke him up. And when my father saw him, he said, 'Be there for your siblings.' And he promised that he would do that.... He said he would keep up our current living situation.)

What triggered the sudden change? Lottie said she still does not know the reason. She also denied that there was a power struggle, or challenges to Eduardo's leadership that supposedly arose after the death of their father.

Was Eduardo's wife and her sister-in-law, Lynn Ventura Manalo, a contributing factor? Lynn has been referred to as "Jezebel" by INC members critical of the goings-on inside the church.

Lottie recalled that her father had once told off Lynn, telling her not to "interfere" with the affairs of the church. Lottie, however, did not elaborate, adding that she has "no idea" if Lynn was responsible for the divisions within the church.

'As long as it takes'

Since their expulsion in July 2015, Lottie said she and her brother Angel have been enduring difficult living conditions. Fences have been put up around their residence, walling them in and forcing them to climb over them to be able to attend court hearings.

Even before their expulsion, Lottie said the family had been harassed and followed by unknown men. It was their concern for their safety, she said, that finally prompted them to speak out and appeal for help.

Despite the difficulties, Lottie is adamant: she would not leave 36 Tandang Sora, despite the INC's insistence that the property belongs to the religious organization.

Her camp earlier said she owns the title to the property, adding that the INC had falsified a deed of sale that supposedly transferred the lot to the church.

"Why should I leave? It's my house," she said.

Asked how long she can endure living in a walled-off property, with no electricity, Lottie replied: "As long as it takes." – Rappler.com

SIGALOT SA PAMILYA NI ERAÑO G. MANALO (Iglesia Ni Cristo®)!

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

OOFICE OF THE CITY PROSECUTOR

QUEZON CITY

16A-00032
FALSIFICATION OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS

Complainant: LOLITA M. HEMEDEZ
#36 Tandang Sora Avenue, QC

Versus

Respondent: EDUARDO V. MANALO
#1 Central Avenue, New Era Quezon City

"Under the virtue of the authority vested in me by the Revised Charter of Quezon City and existing laws you are hereby commanded and REQUIRED to appear at the OFFICE OF THE CITY PROSECUTOR, 4th Floor, Hall of Justice Building (Bulwagan ng Katarungan) beside Quezon City Hall, Elliptical Road, Quezon City.

Room 428

January 27, 2016

2:00 PM

() Subscribe and Swear to your written statement on record;

() Submit (a) hotograph of your damaged vehicle or property with corresponding estimate of damage (b) medical certificate

() Submit to clarificatory questioning

NO MOTION TO DISMISS WILL BE ENTERTAINED. ONLY COUNTER AFFIDAVITS WILL BE ACCEPTED. OTHERWISE RESPONDENT IS DEEMED WAIVED HIS/HERTHEIR RIGHT TO PRESENT EVIDENCE.

FURTHER NO POSTPONEMENT WILL BE GRANTED UNLESS ON EXCEPTIONALLY MERITORIOUS GROUNDS.

WHEREFORE FAIL NOT AT YOUR PERIL.

Witness my hand this 6th day of January, 2016.

BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE CITY PROSECUTOR:

SOLIVAN L. USMAN

Assistant City Prosecutor

=========================================================

Iglesia defying order to stop construction in Tandang Sora compound? -Rappler

Photos taken on Wednesday morning, December 23, show construction continues in the compound despite an order to 'temporarily stop' during the holidays

MANILA, Philippines – Despite a court order, construction activities are still ongoing in No. 36 Tandang Sora, where estranged siblings of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) head Eduardo Manalo currently reside even after their expulsion from the powerful church.

Photos taken at past 8 am Wednesday, December 23, show not a few construction workers still assembling scaffolding tubes in the compound, even after a Quezon City Regional Trial Court (QC RTC) ordered the INC to "temporarily stop" any construction during the holiday season.

This was the agreement of the church and the camp of Lottie Manalo-Hemedez during a hearing on Tuesday, December 22.

It was a compromise, after the court gave the INC until December 28 to comment on Hemedez' manifestation and very urgent motion for immediate implementation of the December 16 court order.

The previous court order directed the INC to clear the entrance to the compound by removing the guardhouse and portalet currently blocking the driveway of the Manalos' residence, and to restore their electricity.

However, Hemedez' counsel Trixie Cruz-Angeles on Tuesday said not one of the court's orders have been complied with, except the scheduled court inspection on December 16. (READ: INC's Angel Manalo to brother Eduardo: Don't fence us in)

INC lawyer Serafin Cuevas Jr, meanwhile, said Hemedez's camp is "imputing bad faith already" when they claimed the INC started putting up fences when the court sheriff already left the compound after the inspection.

The December 22 order also asked the INC to allow the unhampered access of Angeles and another lawyer, Ahmed Paglinawan, to their clients' houses. (READ: What's happening inside the Iglesia's 36 Tandang Sora?)

In September, the INC asked the court to ban visitors from the compound. But Hemedez is challenging the church's right to do this based on assertions of ownership.

She claims she and her late husband, Eduard Hemedez, own the land title to the 36 Tandang Sora residence – not the INC. The INC has been pointing to a deed of sale supposedly drawn up in April this year allegedly transferring the property from the Hemedez couple to the church.

But expelled INC minister Isaias Samson Jr had said it could not have been possible for Lottie's husband to sign the deed of sale dated April 21, 2015 since he died in April 2013 or two years before.

Lottie and his brother Felix Nathaniel "Angel" Manalo were expelled by their elder brother and INC head Eduardo Manalo. Their mother Tenny was also expelled, after she and Angel claimed their lives were in danger. (INFOGRAPHIC: The Manalos of the Iglesia ni Cristo)

This prompted Iglesia's worst crisis in years, with former ministers alleging abductions and corruption within the church. – Rappler.com

Eduardo V. Manalo (EVM), Iglesia Ni Cristo®'s Executive Minister, who is expected to appear before the Court of Appeals leaves for Japan

Source: Rappler

Trip to Japan for Iglesia ni Cristo's Eduardo Manalo?

Was the trip intended to celebrate his 59th birthday or was it to speak to relatives of Jinky Otsuka-Menorca, wife of expelled minister Lowell Menorca?

REVERED LEADER. Iglesia ni Cristo Executive Minister Eduardo V Manalo, the church's third leader, follows in the footsteps of Iglesia founder Felix Manalo. File photo by Mark Cristino/Rappler

Will they or won’t they? That is, show up at the Court of Appeals (CA).

Many are guessing whether the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) leaders led by no less than the executive minister Eduardo V. Manalo will follow the orders of the Supreme Court to appear before the CA on Tuesday, November 3.

On October 23, Manalo and Iglesia officials Radel Cortez, general evangelist Bienvenido Santiago, and Rolando Esguerra were the recipients of writs of amparo and habeas corpus from the High Court, following a petition filed by Anthony Menorca and Jungko Otsuka, brother and sister-in-law respectively, of expelled minister Lowell Menorca.

Some Iglesia brethren were enraged by the SC order, perceiving it to be interference by the state in the affairs of the influential church. Why include the executive minister himself, they asked. Isn’t this politically motivated? But lawyers explain that as a “corporation sole,” the Iglesia as a legal entity can only be represented by a “sole” person or its head.

In the case of the INC, it is the highest ranking official or executive minister himself, Manalo. Nothing personal, no specific targeting even by the High Tribunal. The court would have issued the same order to Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, had the Catholic Church been involved in a writ of habeas corpus or amparo petition.

Shorn of the legalese, a writ of amparo is a recourse for any person whose right to life, liberty and security has been threatened or violated. A writ of habeas corpus on the other hand is a legal remedy sought on behalf of a person illegally detained.

Menorca was released from alleged “illegal detention” by Iglesia leaders and was, according to some reports, rescued by government operatives. The INC itself has denied any hand in the alleged abduction and detention of its minister, whom it has expelled.

Insiders said Manalo and other church leaders went to Japan and missed the big event over the weekend that recognized Excellence in Visual Media (EVM, also a clever play on the initials of the executive minister himself) among Iglesia brethen.

The event, which was a recognition of the best films produced by INC members, coincided with Manalo’s 59th birthday. It also marked the over 3 months of seclusion of the Eraño G. Manalo children, Angel (Felix Nathaniel), Marc (Marco Eraño), and Lottie (Lolita Manalo-Hemedez). Their brother Eduardo has completely ignored them, despite pleas from their mother Cristina “Tenny” Villanueva for him to speak to them. In a video posted late evening of July 22, Angel appealed for help and said their lives were in danger.

But why travel to Japan? Perhaps just to celebrate a birthday? Or perhaps to speak to the parents and relatives of Jinky Otsuka-Menorca and her twin sister Jungko to try to convince them to withdraw what they had filed with the Supreme Court?

During the Sunday press conference of Menorca on October 25, a tearful Jinky quietly sat beside her husband, while he recounted his harrowing experience being abducted from faraway Sorsogon and being brought by land to Dasmariñas, Cavite. – Chay Hofileña/Rappler.com

ABS-CBN: Masked INC members hold protest in California

Photo Source: Inquirer.net

Steve Angeles, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau

Posted at 11/02/15 1:06 PM

CALIFORNIA – About a hundred current and former members of Iglesia ni Cristo convened outside the district headquarters in Anaheim, California, to continue demands for a more transparent church.

Dressed in masks, active and expelled members of INC picketed outside the INC Southern California District Office over the weekend.

While the members didn't speak much, their signs said it all.

''All they have to do is just come out and explain, be transparent with what's going on inside the church,'' said expelled member Richard Vasquez.

''All we're looking for is just the truth. We're not here to go against anybody. We're just against the corruption. If there's no corruption just stand up and say there's no corruption and prove it and stand by your word."

For the active INC members, joining such action put them at risk of being expelled from the church. But for the chance to stop any alleged corruption, it's a risk they're willing to take.

"They just want to make a point, when it comes to what we're doing here. So maybe perhaps they're scared or afraid but that is only because that's what the church administration is instilling in their heart -- that they should be afraid or scared. But we're not scared to expose the truth,'' Vasquez said.

Since allegations of church corruption and abductions surfaced earlier this year, some members have expressed their opinions.

Church leaders, however, said these actions are against the teachings of the INC and that the protestors have already been given explanations by the church administration.

''Clearly their intention in holding this demonstration is to cause division in the church, to further their misguided cause. This is to cause doubts among the members of the church. We're not going to stand and do nothing about it,'' INC resident minister Gino Ramilo said.

Leaders said members who are identified during these protest actions would be subject to due process that could eventually lead to expulsion.

''We try to teach them again the doctrines recorded in the bible. But if they make that choice, if they make that decision to continue to do something to disrupt the unity, you're no longer a Christian, you're no longer a follower of Christ,'' said INC minister Julius Malabanan.

This latest action comes after former INC minister Lowell Menorca II filed cases against several INC leaders over his alleged abduction.

FELIX MANALO FAMILY TREE (Rappler)

Source: Rappler

ABS-CBN: INC petition violates personal freedom, lawyer says

From left: Felix Manalo (founder), Eduardo V. Manalo (grandson), Angel Manalo (brother of EVM), Cristina "Ka Tenny" Manalo (widow of Eraño G. Manalo) Photo Source: Rappler

How could Eduardo V. Manalo, the present Executive Minister of the Iglesia Ni Cristo® founded by their grandfather FELIX MANALO, by his conscience consents evil that’s happening to his very family? How could a "preacher" of "Christian" (if they were ever been considered Christians) love and forgiveness permits this? "Give the other cheek" (Mt. 5:39)? "Honor thy father and thy mother..." (Deut. 5:16); what happened to those beautiful verses which undoubtedly demonstrate Christian virtues? Looking back, no good son would sentence his own mother to hell just as what Eduardo V. Manalo (EVM) did to his own. I am not an expert of the Bible but I haven’t come across any of the Biblical personalities like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, the prophets, sages and apostles, who admonished, sacked, insulted, convicted, or sent their mothers to hell! Not even their church founder Felix Manalo (whose mother remained and died a Catholic) nor Eraño G. Manalo ever was discourteous to their mothers. ONLY EDUARDO V. MANALO! That’s not godly! That is pure evil, ill-mannered minister undeserving of a man of God. Clearly God is already demonstrating to every member of the Iglesia Ni Cristo®, it's TIME TO LEAVE THAT CHURCH because it does not radiate any righteous qualities. The real, true, genuine, accurate Church of Christ hasn’t apostatized as Jesus (her founder) promised (Mt. 16:1618). COME HOME to his ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH! JESUS IS WAITING!

After all, the Iglesia Ni Cristo® is OWNED BY THE MANALOS, not by the Iglesia Ni Cristo® itself!

Carolyn Bonquin, ABS-CBN News

But INC lawyer Cuevas says restrictions needed to ensure security in compound

MANILA - A petition for injunction filed by the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) abridges the personal freedom of Angel Manalo and Lottie Manalo-Hemedez, the Manalos' lawyer Trixie Angeles said.

The INC filed a petition on September 23, asking the court to prohibit unknown individuals from entering the premises of the INC compound in 36 Tandang Sora Avenue Quezon City where INC Executive Minister Eduardo Manalo's siblings are staying.

The petition was filed before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court after CCTV footage of people entering the compound was discovered.

INC legal counsel Atty. Serafin Cuevas Jr. said the INC deemed it necessary to petition for the restrictions to ensure the security of the occupants.

Cuevas also added that the INC may ask for the restrictions as the owner of the property.

READ: INC wants expelled members out of Manalo residence

In the hearing on the merits of the case on Tuesday, Cuevas asked for the names and pictures of all the occupants.

He also asked before the court to disallow visitors from staying in the compound overnight.

"It's their [Angel and Lottie's] right [to have visitors], you see. The only people who are not allowed visitors are people who are detained. This [petition] amounts to restriction of their personal freedom," said Angeles.

Both parties agreed to meet halfway while the case is being heard.

Included in the temporary agreement is the submission of all the occupants' names and pictures, as well as the list of all their visitors.

Meanwhile, guards will be posted in a public area outside the compound to ensure the security and to monitor the visitors.

The next hearing is set on Monday, October 5.

Here is a helpful INFOGRAPHIC from Rappler