Socorro 'cult' victims recall ordeal, abuse in Senate hearing

Their identities concealed, three minors who escaped from Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc. (SBSI) on Thursday faced their alleged abusers during a Senate hearing.

The three — "Jane," "Renz" and "Coco," all wearing sunglasses and hooded shirts — one by one emotionally narrated before the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs their ordeal while inside the Surigao del Norte-based group, including being forced into marriage and trained as soldiers despite their young age.

In her testimony, Jane said marriages were officiated by SBSI leader Jey Rence Quilario, also known as Senior Agila. Jane said she was married to an 18-year-old man when she was 14.

"Sabi niya na unang step daw is ipapatawag 'yung mga secretaries tapos ililista kung sino ang single na lalaki at single na babae. Tapos ang age ng mga babae ay 12 pataas habang sa lalaki is 18 pataas," Atty. Ruth Restauro of the Center for Initiatives in Development Law said, translating Jane's testimony.

(She said that the first step is for the secretaries to list all single boys and girls. The girls are aged 12 and above while the boys are aged 18 and above.)

Jane said they were not allowed to decline the marriage as it was an order from God.

In tears, Jane also told the committee in her native dialect that Aguila had told their husbands that they were authorized to rape them.

"After sa kasal kailangan sila magsiping at sinabi daw ni Jey Rence na authorized kang kunin o i-rape 'yang wife mo kasi kasal naman kayo," Restauro said, again translating what Jane said.

(After the marriage, Jey Rence said the couples are required to sleep together and that the husbands are authorized to rape their wives because they are already married.)

Trained to become soldiers

Another minor, 12-year-old Renz, testified that despite his age, he was being trained by the group to be a soldier.

Renz also emotionally said that he was not allowed to go to school by the group, and that this seems to be the "trend" in the community. He said despite his age, he still doesn't know how to write.

"Bawal sa kanila ang pumunta sa eskuwela kasi sabi ni Senior Agila, siya nga na Panginoon hindi siya nag aral, sila pa kaya," Restauro said.

(They were not allowed to go to school because Senior Agila told them if he as a God did not go to school, why should they.)

Like Renz, Coco said he was also being trained by the group to be a soldier. He was unable to continue his testimony after he broke down in tears when asked why he escaped from the SBSI.

Senior Agila

All of the victims said Quilario introduced himself as the reincarnation of God and their savior.

Quilario, who was present during the hearing, denied that he disallows children in the group to go to school.

"'Yung mga bata, pinapayagan naman iyan na lumabas. Hindi naman iyan kinukulong," he said.

(The children are allowed to go out. They are not being restricted.)

Renz, however, belied Quilario's claim.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, who revealed the group's alleged illegal activities last week, said their investigation showed that only 30% of the children in Sitio Kapihan, where the SBSI community is located, go to school. She said these children are from families who are beneficiaries of the government's Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

Socorro Mayor Riza Timcang testified that there was also a massive dropout of learners from elementary and high school in 2019.

"According to a report from DepEd (Department of Education), 800 plus 'yung nag-drop out," she told the committee.

Meanwhile, Mark Gelsano, who said he was a  former member of Quilaro's elite army, said there was an instance where they dragged a girl back after she attempted to escape the group. 

"Meron akong nasaksihan na 'yung isang babae ay tumakbo (I witnessed a girl trying to run away)," he said in his dialect as translated by Restauro. "So we ran after her and we dragged her back."

Gelsano said the girl was later married against her will.

SBSI's activities came to light after Hontiveros, in a privilege speech last week, said more than 1,000 minors were being sexually abused by a religious “cult” in Socorro town in Surigao del Norte. 

Aroma beach

In her opening statement at the start of the hearing, Hontiveros said members who disobey SBSI's rules are forced to swim in an "aroma beach," a pit full of human urine and excrement.

She said this was based on the information shared by former member to her office.

"Sabi din po ng aming nakapanayam, ang mga 'di sumunod daw sa rules, kinukulong sa tinatawag na foxhole, pina-paddle, o pinapa-swimming sa tinatawag nilang aroma beach na isang hinukay na area na puno ng dumi at ihi ng tao," Hontiveros said.

(We were told that those who disobey the rules are locked in what is called a foxhole, paddled, or made to swim in what they call aroma beach, which is a pit full of human feces and urine.) —KBK, GMA Integrated News