Samson lawyers to gov’t: Tell all the truth about deal with Iglesia

“HAVE you sold our client down the river?” lawyers of expelled Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) minister Isaias Samson Jr. posed the question following an agreement between INC and the government that put an end to their five-day vigil.

Lawyers Trixie Cruz-Angeles and Ahmed Paglinawan said the government should reveal to the public the nature of the settlement.

“Tell us whether or not you’ve sold our client down the river or tell us if you haven’t. But you need to disclose this to us. A criminal case is not a political pawn,” the lawyers reminded the government.

The lawyers pointed out that the law cannot be compromised.

“The president can grant pardons and issue clemency and amnesty. But you do not have the power to refuse prosecution,” they said adding that the government should guarantee that their client will get a fair hearing at the DOJ.

The lawyers said the fact that the meeting was hidden from the public eye could inevitably be “subject to a very real, very reasonable suspicion.”

The INC ended their five-day vigil after announcing that an agreement between the religious sect and the government has been reached.

“The fear now is that given the so-called agreement, a finding of “no probable cause” to make this nightmare go away for the INC’s Sanggunian is a very real possibility,” Angeles and Paglinawan said.

“It is our client who had unintentionally set off these events by filing his case, yet somehow we have not been included in this so-called agreement. Assuming of course there is one,” she asked.

“It is not accidental that the leaders (who are also respondents in Samson’s case for illegal detention) have been very vocal about this so-called agreement. The idea is to make the public feel that they had flexed their muscle and the government has responded in a manner favorable to them. The idea is to make us feel that in relation to whatever it is they were rallying for (or against), the government has capitulated. And sadly that capitulation may involve trampling on the rights of our client,” the lawyer alleged.

The complaint filed by the Samson family named as respondents the members of the Sanggunian, the INC’s highest administrative council, namely:

– Atty. Glicero Santos Jr.

– Radel Cortez

– Bienvenido Santiago Sr.

– Mathusalem Pareja

– Rolando Esguerra

– Eraño Codera

– Rodelio Cabrerra

– Maximo Bularan

The complainant alleged that he and his family were prohibited from leaving their house in Quezon City last July after he was accused of being “Antonio Ebanghelista,” the blogger who has been writing against the INC.

Samson Jr. further claimed that their relatives were prohibited from visiting them, and they were not allowed to go to a doctor so his wife who is suffering from high blood pressure and has a pacemaker can be checked up and someone was sent to buy groceries for them.

He recalled that “guards along with other men armed with high-caliber rifles had constantly prohibited my wife and son from buying groceries or even leaving our house.”

He said they escaped after they pretended to attend worship service.

On July 23, he said when he called for a press conference, a certain Colonel Pedroso and some policemen showed up and said they will secure and protect him. But when members of the media tried to approach them, policemen left.

Last July 30, complainants said they received news that the Sanggunian has ordered the forcible opening of their house to search and seize all their belongings.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who is being targeted by the INC protest over the supposed “shortcut” and unfair handling of the charges, has remained mum on the issue.

After saying she was just doing her job and had no other motive other than faithful performance of her sworn duties last Thursday, the DOJ chief has since not spoken. Tetch Torres