CA’s 7th division to handle case vs Iglesia ni Cristo leaders

The Court of Appeals has raffled off the case against leaders of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) to its 7th division.

Members of the 7th division are Associate Justices Magdangal de Leon, Elihu Ybañez and Victoria Isabel Paredes.

Last week, the Supreme Court has ordered INC to respond to the writs of habeas corpus and amparo filed by relatives of its minister Lowell Menorca II.

Menorca’s brother, Anthony, and sister-in-law Jungko, sought the high court’s help last week to bring their missing relatives before the court.

Named respondents are INC Executive Minister Eduardo Manalo and members of the sect’s Sanggunian, namely Radel Cortez, Bienvenido Santiago, and Rolando Esguerra.

The high court ordered the Court of Appeals to conduct a hearing on Nov. 3 at 3 p.m. and resolve the case within 10 days upon its submission for resolution.