Cook says he overheard plan to overthrow Socorro group founder

A cook on Thursday said he had overheard Jey Rence Quilario and other members allegedly planning to overthrow the original leader of people’s organization Socorro Bayanihan Services Rosalina Taruc.

In a Senate hearing, Jeng Plaza said Socorro group leader Quilario or Señor, Mamerto Galanida, Karen Sanico, and Rosille Sanico were the ones who were planning to replace Rosalina Taruc or Mama Nena.

“Noong time na narinig ko silang nag-uusap, sila Clarence Sanico, Jey Rence Quilario, sila iyon unang nagbanggit na kailangan nilang makuha ang grupo para hindi sila mahirapan lumabas sa Kapihan at magawa nila ang gusto nila,” he said.

(The first time I heard about the plan to replace the leadership was from Clarence Sanico and Jey Rence Quilario so they can do whatever they want in Kapihan.)

“Mahirapan kasi silang kumuha ng leadership dahil ang kinikilalang leader talaga ay si Mama Nena at hindi sila Jay Rence Quilaria.''

(It would be hard for them to take the leadership when the members only acknowledge Mama Nena as their leader and not Jay Rence Quilaria.)

According to him, the supposed plan was mentioned when Karen and Rosille took two vehicles from Mama Mena, which were used to fetch some members going to the mountain.

To gain influence over the members, Plaza said Quilaria’s group in 2019 started to establish a private army and train the members as a strategy.

The private army was supposedly called “Soldiers of God”. Plaza said the “god" in the army's name was referring to Quilario.

“Doon nagsimula iyong sinabi nila na dapat makuha nila ang tiwala sa tao dahil hindi sila makagalaw kapag nandoon kay Rosalina Taruc ang pagdala sa bundok. So gumawa sila ng private army para mas madali nilang makuha ang pagtiwala sa bundok, sa pagkuha sa grupo,” he said.

(That when they started talking about earning the trust of the members because they cannot make a move with Rosalina Taruc being a leader. So they created a private army to easily have the trust of the members.)

Plaza said the high officials of the Socorro group were placed in lower ranks.

Mysterious deaths?

The grandchildren of Mama Nena—Atty. Ralna Florano, the legal officer of the group, and Ralden Florano denied the reports on the supposed mysterious deaths of their grandmother and mother, Denia Florano.

“Kaya iyong sinabing may foul play, mayroon daw lason para mapunta daw kay Mamerto at Jey Rence yung president at vice president. Hindi totoo iyan in my personal views,” Ralden said.

(So the speculations that there was foul play and poisoning involved so Jey Rence and Mamerto will be the president and vice president. That is not true in my personal views.)

“Kasi iyo yung sabi ng kabila. Iyong mga interviews. Kaya mahirap nga na sa aming magkapatid. Makaya kaya naming patayin o lasunin iyong ina namin at saka lola namin?” he added.

(The other camp was saying that in their interviews. That is why it was hard for us siblings. How can we kill or poison our own mother and grandmother.)
Ralna said their family has a history of heart ailment.

“Personally, we believe, me and my brother, that the death is basically because of the heart ailment of my parent and grandparent,” he added.

Ralden said Mama Nena supposedly picked Quilario as the next president and her daughter Denia as the vice president.

However, Quilario initially refused the role, and Denia told the Socorro founder that Galanida supposedly wanted the vice presidency, according to Ralden.

When Mama Nena passed away, Ralden asked Quilario if he would like to take over the Socorro group.

Senator Risa Hontiveros revealed in a privilege speech the existence of the supposed religious “cult” nestled in an enclosed and heavily guarded area in 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.

“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 No. 797.

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

Galanida dismissed the allegations as “fabricated lies." —VBL, GMA Integrated News