Senate panel cites Socorro 'cult' leader, 3 others in contempt

A Senate committee on Thursday cited Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc. (SBSI) leader Jey Rence Quilario, also known as Senior Agila, and three others in contempt.

Senator Risa Hontiveros made the motion during the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs hearing after Quilario and the others repeatedly denied that child marriages took place in the Surigao del Norte-based group despite testimonies by victims.

“I respectfully move to cite in contempt Jey Rence Quilario, Mamerto Galanida, Janeth Ajoc, and Karren Sanico,” Hontiveros said.

No member of the committee objected to Hontiveros' motion, prompting Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, the committee chairperson, to order the detention of the four in Senate premises.

Prior to this, Hontiveros stressed that four witnesses present in the hearing, including an actual party to such marriage, testified that there were child marriages at Sitio Kapihan.

“Hindi po, hindi po nangyayari (no, that did not happen),” Quilario said.

For his part, Galanida said he was “not aware” of such happenings.

“As far as, I do not know anything about mayroong ganyang nangyayari sa Kapihan… Walang child marriages kasi po kung meron man, meron dapat ‘yung parents mismo ‘yung magko-complain,” he said.

(I do not know anything about such things in Kapihan… there are no child marriages because if there are, the parents themselves should have complained about it.)

Ajoc also denied that there were child marriages, even though a witness in the hearing earlier said that Ajoc's own child was among those who were married.

Meanwhile, Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Ty, who was present in the hearing, requested that the four individuals be allowed to attend the preliminary probe of the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Dela Rosa said the four would be allowed to attend the probe. “Yes, we will. Just make the necessary communication,” he said.

The inquiry stemmed from allegations against the SBSI that it abuses more than 1,000 minors in Socorro town in Surigao del Norte. —KBK, GMA Integrated News