Churches warned vs Davao sect

SAN PABLO CITY—A priest of the diocese of San Pablo in Laguna province warned against what he said were the shady activities of a religious sect, which formed a foundation for indigent children and is collecting donations from churchgoers during Mass.

Father Jerry Gaela, parish priest of San Pablo Cathedral Parish, identified the sect, which he said was also posing as a Catholic organization, as “Jesus Christ, the Name Above Every Name.”

Gaela, during a clergy meeting on Monday, told Bishop Buenaventura Famadico and other priests that the sect, which was founded by its “executive pastor,” Apollo Quiboloy, had formed Children’s Joy Foundation Inc. to collect donations, supposedly for indigent children

“The sect used to approach parish priests all over Laguna to request special collections on Sunday Masses in different months, especially when the Christmas season approached,” said Gaela.

Father Ruben Dagala, parish priest of St. Gregory the Great Parish in Majayjay town, said Quiboloy’s group had been collecting contributions from his parishioners during Sunday Masses when he was still assigned to Pangil town from 2007 until he was transferred to Majayjay this year.

Dagala said he was led to believe the sect was a legitimate Catholic group.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer learned that the group operates by writing a letter of request to parish priests but without saying that it belonged to the religious sect of Quiboloy, who is based in Davao City.

The group, in its letter, said it was seeking permission for its rondalla group to serenade parishioners in exchange for donations.

In a phone interview, one Jho A. Perida, project coordinator of the foundation, confirmed that Children’s Joy Foundation Inc. was founded and is currently headed by Quiboloy. Perida, however, refused to elaborate and said she was “busy.”