Socorro Bayanihan ready to face probe into alleged abuse of minors in Surigao del Norte

The Socorro Bayanihan Services is prepared to face investigations into the alleged sexual abuse of over a thousand children in Surigao del Norte's Socorro town, vice president Mamerto Galanida said Tuesday.

This came after Senator Risa Hontiveros alleged in a privilege speech on Monday that a religious “cult” nestled in the mountainous portion of the municipality since 2019, had links to the illegal drug trade. In there, minors and children as young as 15 years old were reportedly being raped and forced to marry the cult leader.

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

“Handang-handa kami. In fact, we’re expecting the secretary of Secretary [Benhur] Abalos to come. Wala namang problema,” he said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.

(We are ready. In fact, we're expecting the secretary of Secretary Benhur Abalos to come. There’s no problem with that.)

Galanida called as “fabricated lies” allegations that their organization is involved with drugs and harming children.

According to Hontiveros, Galanida allegedly taught Jay Rence, called the “Senior Agila,” how to speak in public. Rence was later declared to be the reincarnation of the Sto. Niño, with some members even claiming he was the next “Messiah” and the “new Jesus.”

She also said that in 2019, a massive earthquake that struck Soccoro lured residents to join the cult as Senior Agila claimed a location called “Kapihan” was heaven and that those who refused to join him would go to hell.

Hontiveros also claimed that the group sourced its funding from the government financial assistance that its members received, including the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) benefits, senior citizen pensions, and the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Galanida said the allegations were “unfair” to them.

“Unfair kasi hindi pinakinggan ang panig namin. ‘Yung sinasabi na kulto, walang katotohanan ‘yan kasi we are avid members of IFI, Iglesia Filipina Independiente,” he said.

(It's unfair because our side was not listened to. It’s not true that we’re a cult because we are avid members of Iglesia Filipina Independiente.)

“Our main purpose is first, for housing kasi mahirap dito ang magtayo ng bahay. Second is agriculture, and third is burial services. Kapag may namatay, mag-tulong tulong kami,” he added.

(Our main purpose is housing because it is difficult to build a house here. Second is agriculture, then third is burial services. When someone dies, we help one another.)

Hontiveros filed Senate Resolution 797 calling for the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality to probe the alleged abuses.

“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.—AOL, GMA Integrated News