Jane Abao

Manila, Philippines – A media man resorting to short cut methods of hitting an enemy drops the name of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to make it appear that his enemy is on the run and to alert the Interpol.

Alfred P. Dalizon, writing in World News Network on Journal online dated August 19, 2008, said that International Evangelist, Bro. Eliseo Soriano, is wanted for rape and that an international warrant of arrest is out for him. The story did not include much details but came with generic terms and did not explain how come the Interpol is suddenly in the picture. The offices he mentioned like the Philippine National Police did not even carry a single name.

In order to maintain as politically neutral a role as possible, Interpol’s constitution forbids its involvement in crimes that do not overlap several member countries. This is according to Wikipedia that quoted the constitution of Interpol. The Interpol does not also involve itself in any political, military, religious, or racial crimes.

Moreover, the work of Interpol focuses primarily on public safety, terrorism, organized crime, war crimes, illicit drug production, drug trafficking, weapons smuggling, human trafficking, money laundering, child pornography, white-collar crime, computer crime, intellectual property crime and corruption. Therefore, Dalizon or whatever group he represents, cannot merely call upon the Interpol to do things to their bidding as implied in the report he produced.

The Interpol emphatically states in their database that a Red Notice is not an international arrest warrant that Dalizon would like to have the public believe. It also gives a warning in bold letters that the person should be considered innocent until proven guilty.

Dalizon also said “the PNP noted that the Bureau of Immigration has already included Soriano in the Bureau’s watch list effective November 11, 2005.” However, a check with the office of the BI that time revealed that they had received no order from proper authorities to that effect. While Dalizon kept quoting the Philippine National Police in his report, he could only come up with just “PNP.”

Soriano is the presiding minister of the Church of God, International, more popularly known as Ang Dating Daan (The Old Path). This is, however, a multi-awarded radio and thence television program of this preacher that has been running for almost three decades. Being the head of an international church organization, the evangelist is now based in foreign countries although he reaches his Filipino audience 24 hours a day through his satellite programs. All over the world, there are locales for this church which is growing leaps and bounds.

Time and again, while the evangelist is out of the country, Philippine media is used as a weapon against him but the contents, Soriano said, are pure lies. Now and then, reports about his arrest or surrender are bannered by Philippine tabloids and picked up by TV and radio as legitimate news. In these instances, a pattern shows that media men are being used to make life difficult for him.

The style of Dalizon is the same one repeated over and over in the Philippines. The news rendition is not complete but come with generic terms and with no particular names. What are prominent are the whereabouts of the evangelist. Because they could not get Soriano killed, his enemies use the media, perchance other newspapers pick up the items and reproduce them as legitimate news. The danger, however, is that the public might be fooled – and this time, the Interpol. Dalizon reveals himself partial to the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) by saying that Soriano is a former member of this group which is not true.

The Iglesia ni Cristo is often challenged by Preacher Bro. Eliseo Soriano to defend its teachings, since it runs counter to the task of Soriano who looks at himself as having to save Filipinos from the continuing deception of the Manalos. Felix Manalo, the founder of the Iglesia ni Cristo in 1913 is succeeded by his son, Eraño Manalo whom Soriano has long been challenging to come out to a debate on television live. Manalo has not bothered to answer, however.

Due to Manalo’s silence, Soriano challenged him to a debate in March 2005 as published through Manila Times, a national broadsheet. As expected, Manalo did not come out but his ministers told Soriano over television Net 25 to debate first with the Pope who was then ill at that time and speak in Latin. Then and there, Manalo can debate with Soriano, they said.

Instead of answering to the charges of false preaching, the INC short cuts things and use media people in the guise of news scoops. Most of the time, these media people used are innocent about the tricks the INC uses and more so about the long-time feud between the INC and the Ang Dating Daan (The Old Path) group that Eliseo Soriano heads.

With the same style of Dalizon, the INC ministers as anchors in their Ang Tamang Daan (The Right Path) program, had been airing over Net 25 television station the usual travel routes of Soriano and encouraged the Abu Sayyaf (Moro rebels in the Philippines) to run after him. They say that on particular days, he is in San Vicente and passes by these distinct routes. For the hearing of Muslims, these ministers claim Soriano has called them killers and therefore Muslims should run after him also. It is not a secret that the INC had been using the Muslims against Soriano with some of the latter unaware of the issues. Ang Tamang Daan program (ATD) of the INC is a poor counterfeit of the successful Ang Dating Daan of Soriano that had reaped the Gawad America Award for the most informative religious program in 2006. A large portion of ATD is used to hit Soriano and spite him as the direct cause of their dwindling membership.

Dalizon’s style is the same trick applied by Rizalino L. Arrabis, most rabid defender of the INC. Over in NowPublic.com, Arrabis had been calling for people to post the phone number of Soriano, his fax number, his email address, his phone number as the preacher, he said, is wanted for rape and other crimes. He also called for the Interpol to catch what he called a criminal. For all his personal attacks, however, the site deleted all of his hundred and one posts with a warning from Rob Walker. Commenting November 14, 2007 to an article in OhmyNews International, Arrabis called Soriano the phenomenal criminal fugitive preacher and wrote “WORKINGMEN OF ALL COUNTRIES, UNITE!!! POLICE OFFICIALS OF ALL COUNTRIES, UNITE!!! LEASH AND IMPOUND THIS RABID DOG, ELISEO SORIANO, BEFORE HE SPREADS HIS CORRUPTION.”

In World News of Journal Online, Dalizon said Soriano would likely be visiting the following places: Brazil, Singapore, Thailand and the United States. Some quarters believe Dalizon is pitching for the Interpol who may believe that they are being tipped off by proper authorities. The Interpol who are not aware of the ways of the Iglesia ni Cristo may believe the story just upon the word of the Philippine military who are INC members without verification.

This World News incident was protested over by publication editors of Soriano’s group. They demanded that World News of the Philippine Journal group of publications sanction the erring reporter who obviously did not check his details before posting. The evangelist has in his possession two evidences to counter the rape story that Veridiano filed with the courts: (1) Lipa City Youth and Cultural Center permit for the use of the premises for the Bible Exposition that Soriano held for May 17 of 2000 – the day that Veridiano claimed he was raped; and (2) Chelation Therapy Schedule by the doctors who had attended to him that day before he went to his Bible Exposition. Veridiano, alias Puto, in the case he filed with the courts, claimed that he was raped around 1:30 in the afternoon of May 17, 2000 at the Convention Center in Pampanga. At those times, the evangelist was out of the Convention Complex as he was being attended to by his doctors and then he moved on to his Bible Exposition which ended at midnight. These Bible Expositions usually take time to prepare for the public and they begin much early in the day and end at midnight.

On what Veridiano reported as a second count of rape on June 8, 2001, Soriano said he went with Rico Fernandez to the office of one Ma. Evangeline Veloira in a bank located in Bambang, Manila. They then proceeded to Sushimoto Restaurant to meet a certain Aida P. Briones, an accountant recommended by Veloira regarding the loan transaction they were applying for. The preacher is known for gallantly financing big church projects which explains the growth of the congregation to an international scope. The transaction was held from 12noon to 4pm. Veridiano said he was raped around 3:00 in the afternoon that day.

The investigating prosecutor found no probable cause to prosecute Soriano as he believed that Veridiano’s accusations were all lies and fabricated. The case that was filed sometime before October 5, 2005 was dismissed on January 26, 2006. It was penned by Alexandro Lopez, Asst. Provincial Prosecutor and approved by Jesus Magarang, Provincial prosecutor, Province of Pampanga, San Fernando City. It highly considered the rift going on between the INC and the ADD.

Veridiano only filed his complaint after some 14 of his subordinates complained to Soriano that he raped them.

The story of Dalizon that is being protested to by the editors can be found here: http://article.wn.com/view/2008/08/16/Intl_arrest_warrant_out_for_Eli_Soriano/

The tabloid version posted in People’s tonight can be read here:

http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php?issue=2008-08-17&sec=1&aid=70285

The rape story was one connected with Daniel Veridiano, a former member of Ang Dating Daan and who had joined the Iglesia ni Cristo. While he was the one who raped his office mates, he filed a rape case against Preacher Soriano, obviously helped by the new church group he joined to spite Soriano after being excommunicated from Soriano’s group. In Dalizon’s story, Veridiano was untruthfully presented as a former member of the Iglesia ni Cristo, just like Dalizon did in the case of Soriano – a poor attempt of Dalizon to hide his connections with the Iglesia ni Cristo. Dalizon also implied that Veridiano merely returned to his former fold, the Iglesia ni Cristo, when the truth is that Veridiano could no longer be acceptable to Soriano’s group.

Veridiano was excommunicated by Soriano for several offenses, including rape of some 14 of his subordinates and pilfering the church collections. His confessions can be viewed in YouTube. According to the church leader, the rape case Veridiano filed against the evangelist was in retaliation for his excommunication. This case was once dismissed by the courts for lack of evidence, but due to the intervention of Raul Gonzalez, himself the Secretary of Justice, the case was re-filed. Wikipedia carries this item in the biography of Eliseo Soriano where it mentions that Gonzalez has no connection with the case and yet he had it re-filed.

Some of the false teachings of the INC that Soriano had been attacking are: That anyone who is outside of the INC will not be saved, and other churches are of the devil thus condemning their members to the fires of hell; that Jesus Christ is a human being, was a human being, and remains a human being, and that Manalo is an angel; that holy supper is observed in the morning and with financial contributions.

Soriano had to leave the country in late 2005 upon receiving word that he would be left for dead. The INC had been filing case after case against Soriano beginning with libel and other cases to include rape. When he found that he could not even get the local and national courts to give him justice, he filed a case with the International Court of Human Rights.

The most vicious of the strategies that the INC had been using against Soriano is that of media. First, they used comics to depict Soriano in sodomy. These comics have been mandatory for their ministers to distribute and they were required quotas. Abner Martizano, the INC minister who got affiliated with the Ang Dating Daan group had provided all the details and showed on screen the directives from his former church in the viewing of thousands of Ang Dating Daan members.

The INC is known for its king-maker capacity with its bloc voting practice and is well sought for by politicians in times of elections. After the elections, these elected people return the favor in so many ways. Soriano, as beleaguered international evangelist, has left his country on account of persecutions by this rival church group quite influential to the Philippine government. Fortunately, for him, his being abroad has turned much good for his work as evangelist. More church locales have been opened and many nationalities have joined his faith including those from Canada, North and South America, Africa, Spain, and some from Asia.

First published in Newsvine

Jane Abao

An international evangelist, considered as the most queried man on earth today reiterated his need to face his powerful nemesis in a one-on-one debate on television live. Also counted as the most sensible preacher of our time today, his challenge is not one to be easily dismissed. Some quarters look at this challenge as a spur to the debate of the century long expected by those familiar with this preacher.

Filipino evangelist Bro. Eliseo Soriano who had exiled himself for expediency, reiterated today (23/1/2008) his challenge to a church leader of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC, translated as Church of Christ) to come out in the open so that this man could defend his teachings. Soriano had been very critical of false preachers ever since, most especially those of the INC.

Eraño Manalo, the Executive Minister of the INC, one whom Soriano calls a false preacher, has been ignoring Soriano’s call for a debate. Soriano is the presiding minister of the Church of God, International, better known through their program, as Ang Dating Daan (The Old Path) by the public.

Eraño is the son of Felix Manalo, founder of the INC. He is politically a kingmaker in the Philippines for his bloc-voting congregation and is much sought after by politicians for help come election time.

Soriano, 61, left the Philippines in a hurry towards the end of 2005 when conditions turned sour to his interests as preacher, on the belief that Manalo had much to do with the string of cases maliciously filed against him. Word had reached the evangelist of impending events to happen. As he did not want anyone of his people to be sacrificed if they defended him, Soriano left the country upon advice of his security personnel.

A formal challenge to debate with Manalo was published by Soriano in one whole page of the broadsheet, Manila Times, in March 2005. The intention was to end once and for all the contentions between them and to let the public see who among them was telling the truth.

However, the INC Executive Minister Manalo merely told Soriano through his ministers in their TV program, Ang Tamang Daan (The Right Path), to debate with the Pope of Rome first and speak Latin before attempting to debate with him.

Ang Tamang Daan is an INC counterfeit of Ang Dating Daan (The Old Path), Soriano’s long running program which has won several awards. For the nth time, Soriano who has been based abroad for two years now is reiterating the call for debate with Manalo.

In a bible exposition where the interactive portion, “Ask Bro. Eli” was held today at Marinduque, south of Manila, via satellite from the United States, Soriano who is called Bro. Eli, has been challenged by a minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo or INC to explain why Soriano kept referring to his church as Iglesia ni Manalo (Church of Manalo). Soriano replied that there are so many churches of Christ but it is only the INC who refers to Christ as man and that he never was God at any time. Therefore, to make a distinction that the church of Christ he was referring to is the one that believes in Christ as man, Soriano had to refer to this group as Iglesia ni Manalo, he said.

Further, Soriano reasoned out that the Wesleyans did not find it offensive if their church was referred to as the Church of Wesley, just as the Mormons and the Aglipays did not feel slighted when they were referred to as the Mormon church or the Aglipayan church. Soriano also showed some documents on screen for the audience to see that Felix Manalo, the founder of this church, referred to the Iglesia ni Cristo as “my church.”

Piqued with the preacher’s answer, the minister of the INC (name unidentified to the audience) insisted that he could debate with Soriano at that very moment, but the latter countered that he must have the authority of Manalo first. The minister claimed that Soriano had been evading debate with his group, to which Soriano retorted that he was the one who had long been challenging Manalo to come out in the open and defend his teachings. He also warned the INC minister not to reverse the truth.

Answering from his seat abroad where is he based, Soriano said in a raised voice, “It is I who kept calling for Manalo to come out in the open and debate with me. Don’t you dare reverse the truth.”

As published in Wikipedia, “Eliseo Soriano posted a paid advertisement in Manila Times broadsheets and invited the camp of Iglesia ni Cristo in a one on one debate and discussion. The Iglesia ni Cristo answered Soriano on their program by asking him to debate first with Pope John Paul II which was bedridden at that time and died a few days after this was posted.”

The INC minister, who was tagged as the 14th inquirer in the “Ask Bro. Eli” portion of the program that night, walked out of the hall after failing to get what he wanted. As he left the hall, many of his followers took after him that several seats were vacated up front. However, even as the INC group left, there was excitement in the air.

It is nights like this that the audience becomes excited whenever one would dare challenge Bro. Eli. Until now, it is said, no one has proven this man wrong when it comes to biblical matters. His work history is one tracked with many exciting debates – with the losers leaving in bitterness after their erroneous teachings were exposed. Bro. Eli does not flinch whenever he comes face to face with false preachers, it is said. The INC are not excluded from the many fiery attacks of this evangelist.

It was evident that the inquirer was not there to ask questions on matters of faith or salvation but to register his angst and anger against the host for labeling their church as Iglesia ni Manalo.

Eliseo Soriano comes off as the most queried man on earth today. Working initially with Filipino audiences wherever they could be found, he had expanded on to international audiences. In his program, “Ask Bro Eli,” he is asked several questions ranging from relationships, to dreams, to ailments, to spiritual concerns, to management, to governance, to deep matters of truth, and he would answer by reading direct from the bible.

Each month, Soriano’s program gives off an average of 10 bible expositions where about 20 complex questions in each are asked and he would give long comprehensive answers. Each month, therefore, Soriano’s program that is held in the evening up to midnight could reap about 200-250 questions and each year, about 2,500 questions. The program had started its heydays in the radio then. Most of the questions are those not answered by the pastors of the inquirers. They included questions about idols, spirits, prayers, death, tithing, the real Jesus Christ, resurrection, judgment day, living, God the father, false preachers.

“Ask Bro. Eli ” has long been showcasing Soriano’s prowess in answering questions where most of the inquirers were enlightened and had joined Soriano’s faith – not excluding those from the Iglesia ni Cristo.

Soriano is now facing multiple charges in the Philippines filed by the Iglesia ni Cristo and its sympathizers – all of them arising from his work as evangelist. The witnesses are either those Soriano had excommunicated from his congregation for various offenses, public officials who had benefited from the bloc-voting practices of the INC, and even those who stood to gain from the filed cases.

The impact of the evangelist’s work has drastically reduced the membership of Manalo’s church that heavily depended on tithing – which practice Soriano has been preaching against. Tithing according to him is merely Mosaic law that is not applicable to Christians today.

Wanting to continue with his mission as one in a hurry, Soriano tries yet to be safe from those who would want his downfall. With his impressive humanitarian work of caring for the helpless of Philippine society, he feels he is not being given the justice due a Filipino citizen.

In one of the many earlier discussions of Soriano on Biblical topics, he had intimated that the last war to be fought will be a war between truth and evil.

Soriano had earlier filed a case with the International Human Rights Commission.

First published in Newsvine

Jane Abao

Manila, Philippines – A church group suspected to be behind the troubles of a justice who failed to get appointed as Supreme Court justice surfaced lately.

According to Victor C. Agustin, columnist of Manila Standard Today, the Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ) finally surfaced as the group that was behind Gregory S. Ong’s failure to get appointed as Supreme Court (SC) justice. In his column titled, Cocktales, Agustin described this church group as powerful that they would not stop there.

Sandiganbayan Justice Gregory Ong failed to make the appointment because of an unresolved citizenship issue. Agustin said that the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) even wanted Ong removed from Sandiganbayan, an anti-graft court where he sits now.

Agustin wrote, “The powerful Iglesia Ni Cristo has come out in the open not only to prevent Sandiganbayan Justice Gregory Ong from being appointed to the Supreme Court but also to have him unseated from the anti-graft court.” Accordingly, the petition was filed by the lawyer of this group who belongs to the Iglesia Ni Cristo.

The petition to disqualify Ong from the Sandiganbayan, is now pending in the Pasig Regional Trial Court. It was filed by lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, counsel of the Iglesia.

Agustin intimated that Justice Ong had convicted a brother-in-law of the Iglesia’s Executive Minister by the name of Victor Danao, a military colonel.

As described by Agustin, Ong allegedly “caught the ire of the Iglesia hierarchy after the Sandiganbayan justice convicted military colonel Victor Danao, husband of Pilar Manalo, who happens to be a sister of Iglesia Executive Minister Eraño Manalo.” Pilar, said to be the daughter of Felix Manalo, first executive minister of the church group, is known to have composed the songs for the Iglesia.

Meanwhile, the INC’s clout in government is found in their much-touted practice of block voting. Not only does the incumbent Philippine president have the backings of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, but those before her including senators and congressmen who curry their favor come national elections.

Agustin said Lawyer Topacio is being helped in his legal research by a number of Iglesia lawyers in his oral arguments scheduled before Judge Leoncio Janolo Jr.

Being a Sandiganbayan justice, Ong was among the contenders for the position to a vacant slot in the Supreme Court like Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Ruben Reyes, Court of Tax Appeals Presiding Justice Ernesto Acosta, Labor Secretary Arturo Brion, CA Justice Edgardo Cruz and Sandiganbayan Justice Francisco Villaruz Jr. In July, this year, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Ruben Reyes as Associate Justice to the vacant slot.

Earlier it was reported by Aries Rufo of NewsBreak (02/08/2007) that appointed SC justice Ruben Reyes had the backing of the Iglesia ni Cristo and another church group. Reyes turned 68 last January 3, has only one year and two months to serve in the Tribunal before the compulsory retirement of 70.

The non-appointment of Gregory Ong to the high court is more than just the issue of his citizenship, an evangelist has charged recently. More so, the threat of his being removed from the antigraft court.

According to Eliseo Soriano, the un-warranted influence of the Iglesia Ni Cristo in the affairs of the government is to instill fear among the justices so that they will not meddle with the affairs of the INC.

Saying he admires Justice Gregory Ong for his impartiality in judging cases and his courage in carrying out his task, Soriano said Ong has the backing of his congregation, the Church of God, International, more popularly known as Ang Dating Daan (The Old Path). “Tell Justice Ong to carry on. We are all behind him.” Soriano said through live telecast from the United States before thousands of his followers.

Soriano is a Filipino evangelist now preaching overseas and leads a world-wide congregation of about 4 million. His congregation is all the more growing geometrically with weekly baptisms in thousands in the country and abroad as far as Africa, despite persecutions. Soriano was forced to leave the country for open threat on his life.

Ang Dating Daan as a program had been suspended many times by the Movie and Television Review Classification Board (MTRCB) under the Office of the President of the land for reasons related to the INC. Soriano had been attacking INC beliefs, particularly calling Christ a man, tithing regulations, and falsified history. At one time, one reason for the suspension of the program was Soriano’s calling the church-group, “Iglesia Ni Manalo” (church of Manalo) which the group resented.

UPDATE: Manila Times Jomar Canlas reported today that the judge handling this case, Judge Leoncio Janolo Jr., has been penalized by the Supreme Court because of the “delays in resolving cases.” He was fined P11, 000 ($250).

First published in Newsvine

Manila, Philippines (Fri Nov 30, 2007 9:23 AM EST)- Congressman-elect Daniel S. Razon called on Philippine National Police Chief Avelino Razon before some 50,000 followers Saturday to protect his accuser.

In a phone patch conversation with the Police General during which Daniel Razon was reporting to his church constituents last Saturday (11/24/07) at their Convention Center north of Manila, the Congressman-elect requested Gen. Avelino Razon to please give all the security needed by a certain Nathan Macute, a registered voter of Sitio Roque, Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

The congressman-elect who is at the same time the Vice Presiding Minister of the Church of God, International, said he had received an intelligence report saying that Macute would be killed and then Daniel Razon and his superior, Eliseo Soriano, would be blamed. In the face of such reports, Mr. Razon would like to be assured that nothing would harm his accuser.

Gen. Razon, who is not in anyway related to Daniel Razon, responded to the call and said his office will do what they could. The crowd of 50,000 composed of church members witnessed the conversation.

Macute is said to have filed a disqualification case and petition for the cancellation of Batas Party list wherein Daniel Razon won as congressman. Batas then cannot assume official function due Macute’s complaint, raising accusations that the group is a dummy of the religious organization of Daniel Razon.

According to Mr. Razon, popularly known as Kuya (Brother) Daniel, he did not think Macute, himself, filed the complaint as he appeared helpless and not knowledgeable about legal concerns, much less file a case against anybody. Nevertheless, Mr. Razon told the general that he wanted Macute to be protected.

Batas Party-list earlier got the required two percent of total party-list votes to elect Razon to Congress. The Commission on Elections (COMELEC), however, temporarily set aside Razon’s proclamation as party-list representative because of this pending case.

By the second week of November, the Commission on Elections disqualified Batas alleging that it is a front of a religious organization.

Under Article 6 of Republic Act 7941, the COMELEC may remove or cancel the registration of any national, regional or sectoral party, organization or coalition if it is a religious sect or denomination, organization or association organized for religious purposes.

Meanwhile, Eliseo Soriano, himself the Presiding Minister of the Church of God, International said, Daniel Razon should be spared. He believes he is the real target and that this is the handiwork of his enemies who are systematically trying to put him down at all costs.

It is to be recalled that Eliseo Soriano’s enemies had been filing 43 cases against him – mostly in connection with his work as preacher – which he said comes from only one group, the Iglesia ni Cristo, and its supporters. This includes even lack of permit to bury his dead brother in his own property.

Daniel, who is his nephew, is just the first nominee of the Batas Party List which is popularly supported by his congregation, he said. Batas which stands for Bagong Alyansang Tagapagtaguyod ng Adhikaing Sambayanan (New Alliance for the Support of National Concerns) is not owned or organized by his congregation, more popularly known as Ang Dating Daan (The Old Path), Soriano said. It is then Mr. Razon who is the only nominee from his church.

Aside from Daniel Razon, the other nominees of Batas were Melanio Mauricio Jr., Joey Y. Sonza, Ariel M. Pacis and Olivia G. Coo.

Daniel Razon, a media personality, has been consistently winning Web awards, the latest of which is the 10th Philippine Web Awards (PWA) Friday night. His site won in the Celebrities and Personalities category, getting the People’s Choice award as well. The site edged out sites of commonly known popular personalities in the country.

As reported by GMANews.TV, three websites associated with religious leader Eliseo Soriano dominated the 10th Philippine Web Awards (PWA) Friday night – www.angdatingdaan.com, the official site of Soriano’s The Church of God International; www.danielrazon.com, the official site of broadcaster Daniel Razon, Soriano’s nephew; and www.untvweb.com, the official site of UNTV 37, where Soriano’s Ang Dating Daan is among the top programs.

GMANews.TV said the Church of God official site won, through SMS voting, as the Most Popular Website, on top of being named the People’s Choice in the Organizations category.

Originally published in Newsvine

By Jane Abao

Manila, Philippines (8/27/2008) – He cared for nothing more than a penis enlarger he bought from the House of Condom in Singapore on a credit card not his own.

He also cared for nothing more than a change of face from one that looked like a bicycle’s seat to one of a handsome-looking elite.

Lastly, he also cared for nothing more than an identification card sporting the name of the highest official of the church organization he belonged to – one that he would betray later on and charge of rape in order to materially survive.

All of these have been his passport to stardom – a spotlight he shares with his new organization, the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) with all the attention of the International Crime Police Organization or INTERPOL.

Daniel Veridiano, alias Puto, the man for whom the Interpol would mobilize to catch his enemy is now the man of the hour – thanks to an all-powerful church group in the Philippines he is now a part of.

The common denominator to Puto and the INC is that they have the same enemy – Eliseo Fernando Soriano – the walking bible who readily says a mouthful about religions he had examined to be deceiving people and whatever he sees as evil. No matter that the constitution of the Interpol says it doesn’t involve itself in crimes that do not overlap several member countries in order to maintain as politically neutral a role as possible, Eliseo Soriano’s name is suddenly in its list. Puto’s enemy and the INC’s enemy seems well-taken care of. From a rape case that Puto concocted, helped by his Iglesia ni Cristo, they have him secure on a “Red Notice” of the Interpol according to an INC report.

Wikipedia quotes the constitution of the Interpol that this organization’s work focuses primarily on public safety, terrorism, organized crime, war crimes, illicit drug production, drug trafficking, weapons smuggling, human trafficking, money laundering, child pornography, white-collar crime, computer crime, intellectual property crime and corruption. Granted that Soriano had committed the crime of rape, it doesn’t come up yet to any of these crimes listed that would involve the Interpol.

Puto must be laughing at everyone since he, himself only mocked up the rape charge. Suddenly it leads to an international watch by a most respected body. Whoever had that posted there must have prepared a most believable report. But that is not the concern of Puto as his godfathers in the Iglesia ni Cristo have everything prepared for him. He only has to keep mouthing lies against Soriano and he gets to continue with his new-found job – a ready source of income to maintain his new face and high living, and perhaps to continue with his gay sexual pursuits.

By now, the length and size of his penis have become common knowledge to the public. Over at YouTube, the videos describe his organ as really large. His rape victims demonstrate an open “O” with their thumb and pointer finger. They say it is 5-and-a-half inches in length but the size has become their problem because when he forced his penis into their anus, it was really painful.

Penis enlarger as an item had caught the attention of the church administration when receipts began coming in for the credit card Puto used beginning July 30, 2002. It is hardly an item for church use. It showed a grossly irresponsible shopper who was already going out of his way from the doctrines being preached by Soriano. When asked about the penis enlarger, he said that the preacher had asked for it.

Initially, the shopping list showed many luxury items for food, health and sports and even if the amounts were superfluous, it did not quite alarm the Administration. Puto went from city to city and in one day, he could be in several places with his spending spree to include Baguio, Manila, Olongapo, Pampanga, Davao, and even outside the country like Singapore.

Puto was allowed to purchase materials for emergency use for his office, which is why he had access to an extension credit card, but he went loose. What appeared to be just a fancy buy when he included unauthorized purchases for his medication from Healthy Options and GNC Live Well, and sports outfits from Toby’s, led him from one thing to another. He probably wore the most expensive brief hereabouts and he bragged to his friends that they cost thousands. Just like the luxury items he wore, he told his office mates that they came from the preacher. From purchasing Botox treatments to expensive information technology (IT) items, cameras, watches and clothes, he got bolder and bolder that he took on expensive holiday trips to tourism beaches to dream up a life he did not rightfully deserve. He was testing the limits of the extension credit card.

Secretly, Puto had long been riding along a UNTV identification card that he had prepared himself as head of the Attendance Monitoring System, which is why the purchases under that name did not immediately take concern. For the name on that ID, he printed that of the preacher. For the photograph, he pasted that of his newly minted face. The signature, he had the gold finger for that.

With the credit card, it was like he could buy anything we wanted at every turn – shades, watches, jewelries, shoes, clothes, dinners with friends, you name it. A sensible man would be satisfied with one watch for a long, long time, just as he would with some shades. But he was not. It was like every week, he needed a new pair.

Puto thought the banks were his very own wallet. His favorite were the Metrobank and Bank of Philippine Islands (BPI) where he could draw cash advance with the credit card five times to a total of PHP 90,000 in just one day. And then he would shift to other branches to do the same after two or three days. While Onesimus Men’s sells expensive clothes, mostly barong (intricately designed from Philippine native jute), they were chicken to Puto. Groceries on the credit card sounded like he was supplying a big 24/7 convenience store. He didn’t even hide the fact that when he shopped, he included the carts of the department store up to his own vehicle. Still single, it was like he was feeding a big party all the time as reflected in his grocery lists. Those lists also projected someone running frequently for medical needs.

Puto loved jewelries so much like he has many hands and neck to adorn, but he appeared to be buying gifts for himself and for others too. The list of Puto for 2003 just for watches and jewelries showed the following in Philippine Pesos: Swatch, 800; Swatch, 3,500; Swatch, 13,600; Lucerne, 6,400; A. Rialto 39,697.00; Montre watch, 26,620; A. Rialto 18,800; A. Rialto 14,776; Venice jewelers, 40,000; and L. Heng Jeweller (Singapore) 79, 131. For 2003 alone, he spent a total of PHP 243,324.00.

For 2004, his list also showed the following just for watches and jewelries alone: Mossanite, 9,000; A. Rialto 23, 364; Multi Time, 446, 777; Gorriceta karat, 18, 801; A. Rialto, 14,750; and No Curfew, 23,940. For this year alone, and for these items, he incurred PHP 536, 632. In two years time, he bought several watches and fine jewelries from only a few thousands to enormous amounts to total PHP 779,956.

Puto might not have a car but he rode taxis like he could afford any distance on any amount. He might not have a house, but he seemed to have furnished many already from the items he had bought. Like the gay, he is, he frequented much the SM department stores of the country where he had his frequent beauty treatments.

It was on February 20, 2003 that Dermclinic would first work on his face, followed by so many others. No treatment was less than PHP 15,000 on the credit card so that he may have thought of paying in cash and going for more expensive treatments. Suddenly the cash advances were becoming frequent so that by the time he was found out in 2004, his minted face had spent a fortune. It was after some five months, though – after his change of face – on August 7, 2003 that he bought his penis enlarger in Singapore for PHP 10, 607.93.

Records show that from 2002 to 2004, Puto had been purchasing IT equipment presumed to be for use of his former office in the ADDCIT (communication, information and technology) with the same credit card. At the rate he was purchasing items, he must have equipped a very sophisticated office well provided with many of the premium gadgets around, but no. By the time he left his office, he alone knows where he had placed most of those items.

It looks like Puto had landed on a new career but one where he had to speak continuously against his one-time benefactor and the “rape” charge is just one of his aces in order to survive and live his expensive style. His use of the credit card ended June 20, 2004, however. When he wrote his confession letter on November 21, 2004 to two Ministers-in-charge (MICs) in his desire to be forgiven, he only admitted “kahalayan” (rape and acts of lasciviousness) to only nine of his office mates and pilfering church collections. There was no mention of what he did with the credit card.

In between these months, from July 2004 where he had no more access to the credit card up to November 21, 2004 when he wrote his confession letter and appeal, he was out of cash or source of money as he reflected on his suspension. Despite what was discovered about Puto, the preacher took care of his medication for kidney trouble and gave him money for that, in the hope that Puto could still change. Puto, himself, talked about that in his video testimony that could be viewed in YouTube.

Puto maybe the luckiest man on earth today. He must be the first to be laughing at how eventually his lie about being raped has gotten the whole world’s notice, least of all the International Crime Police Organization or Interpol. Puto had victimized some 14 of his subordinates from acts of lasciviousness to rape and yet he has gotten scott-free. The only thing the victims were able to do so far was to tell to the world how he had victimized them in YouTube and describe his penis.

The ace in the card of Puto is the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), his new-found group when he could no longer be acceptable to Soriano’s group. For a long, long time, this could only be the solution to his dreams of one day becoming a minster-in-charge (MIC) which was never realized. At one time, in the hearing of his office mates, he had declared that if he doesn’t become an MIC, he may just become an INC.

In Soriano’s group, confessions are appreciated and seen as a sign of repentance. In Puto’s case, however, he only wanted to remain still in his position by hiding some of his acts. The man who used to take the dictates of the Presiding Minister in a laptop saw himself as Secretary General, a power he abused to insert the names of his enemies in circulars that contained the list of those suspended and excommunicated by Soriano. He never had that position, however, as it was occupied by Luzviminda Cruz, a pioneer and one of most trusted aides of the preacher. Yet, Puto saw this opportunity to use a secret weapon to threaten his rape victims with. Once, Puto met a young man from the construction group walking home one day – dirtied with cement and dust. He ordered him to come with him to his room, but there raped him.

After Puto’s appeal to be re-instated to the organization failed, he joined – as he had threatened -the Iglesia ni Cristo. There was a lull here, however. It took him some time to think and connect with those who left the organization for the Iglesia ni Cristo until he finally became one of them. His presence is still felt from time to time in forms of scouting for former brothers to convince them to follow him. He was offering “jobs,” just like the one he holds now, and the job was only to speak against Bro. Soriano. This was revealed by a young boy who used to go around looking for some kilo of rice for his poor parents. He had refused the offer of PHP10, 000 a month just to be speaking against the preacher.

In the few years just before he was to be excommunicated, instead of participating in church activities and listening to the preaching, Puto’s mind was out somewhere. Eliseo Soriano, the Presiding Minister of the church of God, International, is strict, as far as doctrines are concerned, and on the weekly Thanksgiving days placed on Saturdays, the members dutifully gather to study God’s word. At these times, Puto could only be found in vacation spots, mostly in the beaches where he loved to imagine a different life.

In a video testimonial of his friend, Freeman Maynes, he revealed that whenever they traveled far away from the city and nearing the beach, Puto would shout “holocaust,” then shamelessly attack one of them that he would undress forcefully and grab the private parts. This was reported by Maynes who eventually was excommunicated, too, for taking advantage of others. Instead of talking about himself, he revealed more about Puto.

Puto could have stayed on still but money is his weakness – including sex. With his nine years stay in the church, he had not internalized the teachings, even as basic as being truly repentant to be forgiven.

Puto’s portrait is a showcase of what is sordidly happening in the country. For accommodating an organization that lives its life playing with election-hungry politicians with its bloc-voting practice, and allowing its intervention in so many forms, the country’s justice system is expected to be sorely decadent. Already laden with corruption charges as with the Office of the President of the Land, the justice system of the country cannot be expected to be managed well.

While Puto’s new church group had filed case after case against Soriano, they could not come up with something worth the Interpol’s attention. And yet they were able to have his name in the list of persons to be searched. Could there have been an agreement that it would only be up to posting his name and photograph there? One need not ask if that is a dangerous practice because it is. It is not a secret that the Iglesia ni Cristo had come up with as many cases as they wanted to file against Soriano. It is also not a secret that INC members like Rizalino L. Arrabis, a retired US Navy man based in Guam, have been suggesting in newsites for “police officials of all countries to unite, leash and impound Eliseo Soriano.”

The military

Puto saw much of the might of the INC before he joined them. He also knew how much the INC persecuted Bro. Soriano. On February 1, 2002, on a Friday midnight up to the wee hours of the following day, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) under Gen. Reynaldo Wycoco (now deceased), raided the Convention Center of the Ang Dating Daan just on a case of libel filed by the Iglesia ni Cristo. The following morning was to be a Thanksgiving Day of the congregation so that many travelers who already were coming in for the day were disfranchised. These included the old orphans and widows of the church orphanage that was placed at the front part for easy access to the Center. Each of them then began to experience health issues from fright and sudden notice. The men came in full combat gear sporting NBI and surrounded the convention center for several hours. In such gatherings, the members could number some 60,000 on the average in the convention center alone.

After Puto left, the raids of the INC increased, this time targeting Abner Martizano, their minister who had joined Soriano’s group. Martizano could be seen on TV, revealing INC secrets and one of that was the production of comics depicting Soriano in sodomy. While no authors were named in the malicious comics, these were being directed to be distributed by the INC ministers and at that time Martizano was with the Iglesia ni Cristo.

It brought a second raid that happened on December 20, 2005. The local police of Apalit, Pampanga together with INC military men were well prepared. Just at the first gate, they went directly to the cameras and turned them off like they knew beforehand where they were positioned. Apparently Puto had sold them much information.

Once inside, past the second gate, they directed everyone they saw to line up at the Administration building and confiscated their cell phones and cameras. No one was allowed to call anybody. While they did this, some of them banged on the doors at the Strangers Hotel and kicked them, at the same time shouting at the tenants, asking where people hid Martizano.

Today, the Convention Center is still being “inspected” from time to time by the Mayor of Apalit, Oscar “Jun” Tetangco, one who thanked the INC for his election in big billboards.

The Justice

On October 5, 2005, Otto Macabulos, Asst. Provincial Prosecutor addressed an information to Jesus Manarang, Provincial Prosecutor, Province of Pampanga, that Mr. Soriano is presently facing two counts of rape (no bail recommended) that he filed pending preliminary investigation with the Prosecutor’s office in San Fernando. The information said Veridiano claimed that he was sexually abused on May 17, 2000 at around 1:30 in the afternoon and on June 8, 2001 around 3:00 in the afternoon. The information further said it was physically impossible for the accused suspect (Soriano) to carry out the alleged crimes as there are documents for him of his whereabouts.

The hard evidences given for the rape charge (Ra 8353), page 5 Resolution said: 1) On May 17, 2000 at around 1:30 in the afternoon, Soriano went to the Biological Health Center in Malate, Manila to undergo chelation therapy. It took him about 3 hours and on the basis of records, the respondent was treated at the clinic. After the chelation therapy, he went directly to Lipa city, Batangas for a Bible Exposition which started at 7pm to 11pm. Soriano never left the stage all throughout the event.

Both Dr. Jean Marzan and Dr. Frederick D. Franciso of the Biological Center attested that on such date and at that time, and on the basis of their records, the respondent was treated at the clinic.

The information further said that on June 8, 2001, that Veridiano said he was raped for the second instance at about 3 o’clock in the afternoon, Soriano together with Rico Fernandez at 11:30 in the morning went to the Office of one Ma. Evangeline Veliora in a bank located in Bambang, Manila. They then proceeded to meet a certain Aida Briones, an accountant recommended by Veloira as regards the loan they were applying for. Fernandez, Veliora, and Briones each had written an affidavit to affirm that Soriano was with them that day. These affidavits were notarized by Bernardo Cuaresma on October 21, 2005.

The missing document dismissing the case

The rape case was dismissed on January 26, 2006 penned by Alexandro Lopez, Assistant Provincial Prosecutor of Region III, San Fernando, Pampanga as approved by Jesus Y. Manarang, the Provincial Prosecutor. In part, the document says: “The foregoing facts, together with the rift going on between the INC and the ADD, which we cannot deny, only show that the complainant was indisputably ill-motivated from the inception, and these necessarily, without any scintilla of doubt, substantially affect, if not lessen, his credibility as an unperjured affiant. Wherefore, premises having been considered, the undersigned recommends the DISMISSAL, as he hereby DISMISSES, the complaint for rape filed by Daniel Veridiano against Eliseo Soriano docketed herein as I.S. N0. 05-I-2459 and 2460.”

Months later, however, Raul Gonzalez, Secretary of Justice, on March 21, 2006, directed Regional State Prosecutor Jesus Simbulan to elevate the records of the rape case to his office. The letter said: “Department of Justice. Memorandum to RSP Jesus Simbulan, ORSP, Region III, Subject: Daniel Veridiano vs. Eliseo Soriano for Rape. Date: March 21, 2006. In the interest of justice, you are directed to elevate the records of above-captioned case to my office. For immediate compliance. Raul Gonzalez. Secretary.”

In the transmittal letter of the investigating prosecutor Jesus Manarang who first handled the case, he clearly stated that the records contained all 214 pages, including the resolution rendered by him which dismissed the case. However, when Soriano’s group requested for the copy of the case from the Department of Justice, it claimed that no such dismissal resolution was part of the case. By that time, Prosecutor Jesus Manarang was replaced by Jesus Simbulan who was ordered by Gonzalez to elevate the records to Gonzalez’ office.

No one petitioned for the case to be elevated as no resolution was not yet even filed in the Office of Gonzalez, yet the Secretary of Justice ordered the elevation which is highly irregular. Gonzalez then re-filed this dismissed case in Pampanga as reported by ABS-CBN Online on May 3, 2006. http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=37521

Missing Supreme Court Reports Annotated (SCRA)

Members of Soriano’s group question the way Philippine justice is going: Why is the document dismissing the case missing? Should it be like the missing SCRA where the Iglesia ni Cristo deacons were involved in the killing of 5 Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) students? Why are important documents disappearing from the files of the Supreme Court and that of the Department of Justice when the Iglesia ni Cristo are involved?

In Supreme Court Reports Annotated, Volume 339 dated August 28, 2000, in a decision rendered by Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr., on the case “PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, plaintiff-appellee, vs. JUANITO ABELLA, DIOSDADO GRANADA, BENJAMIN DE GUZMAN, and EDGARDO VALENCIA, accused-appellants”, the four accused in these cases, who are deacons of the Iglesia ni Cristo, were declared guilty beyond reasonable doubt on five (5) counts of MURDER. On page 147, it states -

“There, they were mauled, tortured and beaten by appellants, who were deacons of the INC, as well as by their cohorts, using steel tubes, lead pipes, guns and other blunt instruments. Thereafter they were loaded into the van, which forthwith sped out of the compound; and three days later, or on 10 March 1992, the victim’s bodies were found floating in Pasig River, showing signs of foul play.” The Supreme court at that time was headed by Hilarion Davide, popularly known to be a just man.

ABS-CBN on INC payroll?

Puto’s rape claim was published by ABS-CBN Interactive for more than a year. The article was such that only the date was changing. Editors in Soriano’s group began to protest that article, question the leadership of this outfit, and the kind of training its people had. This was made through a news posted online and titled, “Is ABS-CBN Interactive a legitimate news outfit?”

This one-story online site went blank for a time. The rape story was not there anymore but only its masthead. It returned with a vengeance, however, with another name – ABS-CBN Online. As though with malice, the rape story was back and stayed while it lasted. Meanwhile, they twisted the name of the complainant they protected to Pedriano from Veridiano. This emboldened INC posters to keep repeating the rape story in many online sites and fighting for Daniel Veridiano, alias Puto.

The rape story was picked up by Wikipedia that placed it as an integral part of the biography of Eliseo Soriano. This led to some church editors tangling with the Wikipedia staff. When Moriori of Wikipedia was chided for making use of a discredited source like ABS-CBN Interactive, his reply was to this effect: “There are many others I can use. I still have other sources.” Moriori in the end used Manila Standard as source.

Many times over, the rape story was repeated by news outfits like Soriano was convicted already- an overkill that effectively bared their intentions but mostly what group they were linked to. The aspect of its being dismissed was never mentioned – nor was the intervention of the Secretary of Justice. Despite ABS-CBN’s background of the case that it reported the first time, there was no mention that their new reporting concerned a dismissed but re-filed case.

Still the questions remain: Who changed the name of Daniel Veridiano to Daniel Pedriano? Was it Raul Gonzalez, the Secretary of Justice who was highly interested in the case and had it refiled although dismissed? Or was it the ABS-CBN to facilitate their yearlong reporting, protect somebody but continuously destroy Soriano? In the way they treated the material, was that news for the public or an advertisement paid against Soriano? Who is now considered the complainant of Soriano, a Veridiano or a Pedriano?

With the rate Soriano’s enemies are going, one cannot miss a relationship with the phoned-in calls to radio programs. As Soriano is abroad serving his international congregation, one suddenly hears his name mentioned by out-of-topic callers, an obvious fisher for his location: “What do you think happened to that Soriano? Where do you think he went? He was charged of rape, you know.” The man on board was heard to shoot back, “Sorry, you are out of topic!”

While Soriano had to exile himself, Soriano’s voice could still be heard on radio from his taped programs from 10 o’clock at night to 1 o’clock in the morning over at DZAS and DZRH in “Itanong mo kay Soriano, Biblia ang sasagot” (Ask Soriano, the Bible will answer). To some of the questions asked, he could not avoid telling the truth about the Iglesia ni Cristo. Soriano can also be heard expounding the bible in “ADD by Demand,” a program in TOP Channel of UNTV that recently inked partnerships to make telecasts available in America and Canada. Added to that is www.truthcaster.com and his blog in esoriano.wordpress.com. Soriano is being followed by millions because of his great understanding of the scriptures.

Religion

In the website of the US Embassy in Manila on International Religious Freedom Report, the Church of God International, more popularly known as Ang Dating Daan (The Old Path) is named as an offshoot of the Iglesia ni Cristo. It is not so and never was, and the embassy was informed in 2006 then again in 2007, but the information remained the same.

On religions matters, it is consistently claimed that “there is no change,” implying that all is well with the country despite what the Iglesia ni Cristo, with the blessings of Office of the President, is doing. For example, The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) under the Office of the President and headed by Ma. Consoliza Laguardia had suspended the program of Ang Dating Daan (ADD or The Old Path) of Soriano many times and at one time on the charges that Soriano uttered “Iglesia ni Manalo” (Church of Manalo) which the complainants said hurts them. However, in Net25′s Ang Tamang Daan (ATD), a counterfeit of Soriano’s ADD program, the INC ministers as co-anchors spend a lot of time tearing the minister apart as magnanakaw (robber), mangogotong (extortioner), mangagansto (plunderer), yet the MTRCB allows them to continue.

The ATD program was revealed by Romy Español, an INC minister who got affiliated with Soriano’s group, as a program that was really put up to destroy Soriano at all costs.

Puto’s “victory”

In tandem with these irregularities in the justice system, Veridiano is still lucky as in the Bureau of Immigration, he seems to have church brothers working for him. Soriano was eventually placed on a watch list. In the military, Puto would never lack brothers there. The Iglesia ni Cristo had long been displaying their might against the ADD Convention Center which they began to habitually raid, the first being that one from the NBI under Gen. Reynaldo Wycoco in February 1-2, 2002. This was followed by a time when Bro. Soriano left the Center to hold a Worldwide Bible Exposition at the Araneta Center on December 20, 2005. The Local Police and some later on identified as military members of the INC forced their way into the Convention Center, arrogantly marched into the Strangers’ Hotel where they thought Martizano, the minister who left their fold, was billeted.

Puto’s victory is capped by the fact that Soriano was able to leave the country, yet the Interpol has his name with them. The Interpol is emphatic, though, that a Red Notice is not an international arrest warrant and that everyone should be assumed innocent until proven guilty. Alfred P. Dalizon, who has strong links with the Iglesia ni Cristo, however, reported on August 17, 2008, in People’s Tonight, a tabloid in the country, that Soriano is branded as a fugitive and is on an international arrest. He had it linked to World News Network, Journal Online of the Journal Group of Publications.

This practice of false reporting sets off other media outfits to pick up the report as legitimate report, it was observed. Were it not protested upon by the editors of Soriano’s group, Dalizon’s story may have created the chain reaction that he seemed to have intended. The editors asked for sanctions on Dalizon by his office, otherwise a protest of bigger dimensions would be forth-coming.

Fresh challenge

Soriano reiterated his challenge to debate with Eraño Manalo after he had exiled himself towards the end of 2005 – a manifestation that he wanted resolution into all this hounding after him. The immigration officials have him on the watchlist, the Secretary of Justice is highly interested in the mocked-up charge of rape, and although dismissed, had it re-filed. The Interpol has his name on “Search” which an INC supporter banners as an international arrest warrant. To Soriano, all of these have began from the practice of selling and buying of votes.

No conclusion could be made then except that new information on religion in the country has to be made. There is religious persecution in the country – thanks to the penis enlarger that opened a can of secrets from politics, to justice, to immigration, and military connections. More importantly, it has affirmed the role of media that cover these secrets from the eyes of the peering public. For one, why isn’t the murder in cold blood of Marcos Mataro, the UNTV host that left the INC and joined the Ang Dating Daan group not solved despite the fact that the reward had been jacked up to PHP 1.2M? Apparently, media from the INC greatly disinforms the public and covers for those involved.

There is more to tell. But the penis enlarger has told much already.

First published in Newsvine