Senate detains leaders of alleged ‘cult’ group

THE Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs chaired by Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Thursday ordered the detention of the leaders of the Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc. (SBSI), an alleged cult group based in Socorro, Surigao del Norte.

The action undertaken by the committee was based on a motion of Sen. Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros, citing in contempt the said SBSI leaders for allegedly lying under oath before the committee.

Dela Rosa ordered the Office of the Senate Sergeant-At-Arms (OSAA) to take physical custody of Jay Rence Quilario (aka Senior Aguila), Mamerto Galanida, Karen Sanico and Janeth Ajoc.

The four SBSI leaders will be detained within the Senate premises until they agree to tell the truth about the supposed abuse and illegal activities of their group.

During the hearing, Jane (not her real name), a 15-year-old girl, testified that she was forced by Quilario to marry an 18-year-old guy whom she had not met before.

A member of the alleged private army of Quilario testified and corroborated the testimony of Jane that girls, who are minors, were forced to be wedded to older men.

Hontiveros said the Senate received “alarming” reports of alleged rape, sexual abuse, forced labor and forced marriage of minors in the group Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc.

“A Senate investigation is needed to immediately address these urgent and alarming issues, rescue the children, effect the reintegration into society of the victims and identify policy gaps in legislation that allow these cults to operate in plain view of the local government unit and other institutions,” she said in proposed Senate Resolution 797.

Dela Rosa said in his opening statement that in early September this year, his office received a letter from the Municipality of Socorro, province of Surigao del Norte. It contained a resolution that requested an investigation into the alleged illegal activities happening in Sitio Kapihan, Barangay Sering, Socorro.

“Those who sought our help enumerated detailed accusations of forced labor, arranged child marriages and rape. There were accounts of abuses: sexual, physical and even psychological. Accusations of human trafficking, private armies and the operation of a shabu laboratory were also reported to my office,” said dela Rosa. The group was a people’s organization with 3,560 members, including 1,587 children, said Hontiveros.

Denying the allegations, Galanida, a three-term mayor of Socorro, said they would await personnel from the Department of the Interior and Local Government to come and investigate the claim.

Galanida described as “fabricated lies” allegations that their organization is involved in manufacturing drugs and harming children.

A member of the SBSI’s “Soldiers of God” confirmed before the committee that their group recruited young boys ages 6 to 7 years old to become “soldiers” of god.

Jeng Plaza, a confessed member of the Soldier of God, the “god” they are referring to is Quilario, who claimed to be the reincarnation of Baby Jesus or Santo Niño.

Plaza testified that the members of the Soldiers of God are of different cluster levels wherein the highest is Senior Aguila followed by Agnus, Bium, Ciera, Elli and Deo. The lowest level is the “fetus” composed of children ages 6 to 7 years. — Javier Joe Ismael

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