Alleged Socorro cult leader personally attends Senate hearing

The leader of the alleged cult in Socorro, Surigao del Norte on Thursday personally attended the Senate hearing on the supposed abuse and illegal activities of his group.

Jey Rence Quilario or “Senior Agila” attended the hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs as well as the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality.

This is for the inquiry into the alleged operation of a shabu laboratory in the province, alleged systematic rape, sexual abuse, trafficking, forced labor, and child marriage involving the group.

Aside from Quilario, other members of Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc. personally attended the Senate hearing, including Karren Sanico and Mamerto Galanida.

Senator Risa Hontiveros revealed in a privilege speech the existence of the supposed religious “cult” nestled in an enclosed and heavily guarded area at Sitio Kapihan, a mountainous portion of Socorro town.

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 proposed Senate Resolution No. 797.

The group was a people’s organization with 3,560 members including 1,587 children, the lawmaker said.

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 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. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News