Obstruction of justice complaint filed vs alleged Surigao cult member

Surigao del Norte map. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — A complaint of obstruction of justice has been filed against an alleged Surigao del Norte cult member who supposedly prevented police officers from serving an arrest warrant.

Philippine National Police (PNP) Public Information Office chief Col. Jean Fajardo said the person did not allow the town chief of police (COP) to serve the warrants of arrest against another alleged cult member.

She said the Surigao del Norte Police Provincial Office filed the complaint against a member of the Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc. She did not provide the name of the accused.

“PD, Surigao Del Norte confirmed they already filed a case against Socorro Bayanihan Services for violation of PD (Presidential Decree) 1829 (obstruction of justice) against one person who did not allow the COP (chief of police) to serve the warrant of arrest against one member of the group,” Fajardo told INQUIRER.net in a Viber message on Tuesday.

READ: DOJ: Preliminary investigation into alleged Socorro cult to be held in Manila

Earlier, the PNP and National Bureau of Investigation said a probe into the alleged cult and its reported leader identified as Jey Rence Quilario has started.

Senator Risa Hontiveros said in a recent exposé that Quilario purportedly “engages in sexual abuse and violence against minors” who are purportedly members of the cult.

The PNP spokesperson on Monday disclosed that law enforcers have been filing complaints against the Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc. since 2019.

READ: Mayor wants more police, military over threats from Surigao town ‘cult’

“As early as 2019 po, ang PNP po ay nakapagsampa narin po ng kaso laban po sa grupo po na ito pagkatapos pong mamonitor po sa kanilang social media na may miyembro sila na nakasuot po ng mga military uniform,” Fajardo said in a press briefing.

(As early as 2019, the PNP filed a case against this group after it was monitored on their social media that some of their members are wearing military uniform.)

READ: Complaint filed vs leaders of Surigao religious cult

“Maliban pa po doon ay meron na rin po tayong naisampang kaso noong 2021 at noong May 2023 laban dito sa grupo na ito particularly dito sa kanilang current president po. Maliban po dyan may isinampang kaso rin po ng NBI Region 13 nung nakaraang June,” she added.

(Aside from that, we filed a case in 2021 and May 2023 against this group, particularly their current president. Also, a case was filed by NBI Region 13 last June.)

Last September 18, Hontiveros shared details about the alleged cult to the public. She also filed a resolution seeking to investigate the group, which reportedly has 3,650 members, including 1,587 minors.

READ: Surigao gov seeks deeper probe on alleged ‘shabu’ lab in cult village

The senator revealed that Quilario would facilitate marriages of 12-year-old children with adult members aside from allegedly ordering minors to sleep with him. Witnesses also claimed that some of the group’s members committed murder and that they likewise saw a “shabu” laboratory at the residence of its leader , among others.

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