INC Place of Worship at F. Manalo st. San Juan city. Photo by Marianne Bermudez
(Update)
THE mother and brother of Eduardo Manalo, executive minister of Iglesia ni Cristo, have been expelled from their church for sowing disunity, an official said on Thursday.
“Masakit man sa loob ng kapatid na Eduardo Manalo ay ipinasya nila na itiwalag yung mga lumilikha ng mga pagkakabaha-bahagi sa Iglesia. Kaya sa mga pagsambang isasagawa ng Iglesia ni Cristo simula sa araw na ito, ipaalam sa lahat ng kapatid ang pasyang yun ng Tagapamahalang Pangkalahatan,” Bienvenido Santiago, general evangelist of Iglesia, said in a press briefing.
Felix “Angel” Nathaniel Villanueva Manalo and his mother Cristina “Tenny” Villanueva Manalo were expelled for their video uploaded on YouTube claiming that their lives are in danger and that a minister has been abducted.
Tenny is the widow of the late Executive Minister Eraño “Erdy” Manalo.
Aside from Angel and Tenny, the INC also expelled Marco Eraño Villanueva Manalo, and Lolita Manalo Hemedez.
“Ang basa namin doon sa pinahayag nila kagabi sa YouTube ay ibig lamang nilang makakuha ng mga taong magsisimpatya sa kanila. Para sa ganon ay makuha nila ang talagang gusto nila na mapakialaman ang pamamahala sa Iglesia,” Santiago said.
In a video uploaded on YouTube Thursday morning, Angel Manalo said: “Nananawagan po kami sa inyo dahil nanganganib po ang aming buhay. Sana’y matulungan niyo po kami.”
(We are asking for your help because our lives are in danger. We hope that you can help us.)
His mother Tenny asked church members to help her children Angel and Lottie.
“Ako’y nananawagan sa aming mga kapatid sa Iglesia na tulungan ninyo kami dahil may panganib sa aming buhay. Saklolohan niyo ang aking mga anak, si Angel at Lottie at ang kanilang mga kasama. Tulungan niyo rin ang mga ministro na dinukot at hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa nakikita. Kaawaan natin sila at ang kanilang pamilya,” she said.
(I am appealing to our brethren in the church to help us because there is a threat to our lives. Please help my children, Angel and Lottie and their companions. Let us also help the ministers who were taken and until now have not yet been found.)
Lottie Manalo-Hemedez and Aileen Manalo-Alcantara are Eduardo’s siblings.
Denial
Santiago, who faced members of the media seeking comment on the video, said the allegations were not true.
“Meron pang alegasyon na dinukot na ministro. Ibig na palabasin na may kinalaman ang Iglesia, wala pong katotohanan, hindi po totoo yun,” Santiago said.
He added:”Dapat malaman ng lahat na ang Iglesia ay hindi isang korporasyon na pampamilya. Ito ay isang relihiyon na ang sinusunod ay mga patakaran at aral ng Diyos na nakasulat sa bibliya. Hindi makakapayag ang kapatid na Eduardo Manalo, ang kasalukuyang tagapamahalang pangkalahatan na ang Iglesia ay guluhin ng sinumang tao,” he said.
It was clear that the mother and son were sowing disunity in the church so the rules must be applied to them, Santiago said.
Held hostage
Tenny also conveyed her wish to speak to Angel’s brother and INC’s current leader Eduardo Manalo.
A blog by a certain Antonio Ebangelista said that the current INC leadership has expelled nine ministers from Sorsogon, Cebu and Bulacan. The author also alleged that some are being tortured in police camps and their families prevented from speaking about their expulsion from the said religious group.
The ministers who were allegedly being held hostage include a certain “Bro. Nolan Olarte,” one “Bro. Boyet Menorca,” and one “Bro. Joven Sepilllo.”
Some ministers who were supposedly expelled include a certain “Arnel Tumanan” and and a “Bro. Jerson Samson.”
A copy of the alleged circular ordering the expulsion of Angel, Tenny, Lolita and Marco Eraño Villanueva Manalo has since been released on Facebook.
The circular, allegedly signed by INC Minister of Gospel Radel Cortez on July 23, states: “Mga mahal na kapatid, kalakip nito ang circular na babasahin sa pagsamba kaugnay sa pagtitiwalag kina Cristina Villanueva Manalo, Felix Nathaniel Villanueva Manalo, Marco Eraño Villanueva at Lolita Manalo Hernandez.”
The circular should be read by the minister of the local district during the end of each worship service starting Thursday, July 23 to Saturday, July 25.
The controversy came days before the INC will celebrate its 101st anniversary on Monday, July 27.
