Iglesia ni Cristo lawyer: Threat to Menorca ‘all in his mind’

A lawyer for Iglesia ni Cristo has said that the alleged threat to the safety of the family of expelled member Lowell Menorca II is all in his mind.

During cross examination on Tuesday, defense lawyer Rogelio Vinluan asked Menorca if the respondents—INC executive minister Eduardo Manalo and members of the church’s Sanggunian (governing council) Radel Cortez, Bienvenido Santiago and Rolando Esguerra—directly threatened to harm his family.

“No. Implied, yes,” Menorca said.

“Wala ka maipapakita kahit ano? Guni-guni lang yan,” Vinluan said.

Menorca appeared in court after he was released from detention following his arrest last week for libel accompanied by his wife Jinky, baby daughter Yurie Keiko and sister-in-law Jungko.

He admitted signing a handwritten affidavit while he was detained in Cavite which stated that it was not true that he was abducted.

He pointed out that he signed it under duress.

“Whatever they ask me to do, I will do it because they have my family,” Menorca said.

In his affidavit, Menorca said he was taken by unidentified men on July 16, 2015.

Vinluan said Menorca referred to the incident as kidnapping, “which is a very serious offense usually committed in secret and under cover of darkness.”

“So, when you are taken when the sun is up, it is no longer kidnapping?” Menorca asked, to which Vinluan answered, “usually.”

If he was indeed being kidnapped, Vinluan asked Menorca, why did the perpetrators not make an effort to hide their identities and even have a photographer in tow?

“I was photographed while being handcuffed and dragged outside,” Menorca said.

‘Spur of the moment’ arrest

Vinluan asked Menorca, citing his affidavit, if the police who arrested him “in the spur of the moment” decided to charge him in court.

“So, this decision to charge you, was that on the spot, spur of the moment?” Vinluan asked.

“I cannot answer for the police officer,” Menorca said.

Vinluan shot back: “Intelihente kang tao, bakit hindi ka nagprotesta? Bakit hindi ka sumigaw?”

“Regardless of how intelligent you are, if they have your family, you will do everything they tell you,” said Menorca.

“Bakit, sinabi ba nilang sasaktan nila ang asawa ang anak mo? No.”

“Ang sabi ng pulis ‘walang mangyayaring masama sa ’yo, asawa at anak mo.’ I cannot put them at risk.”

The defense also asked Menorca why he didn’t say during a television interview that he was under duress when he signed the affidavit.

“I tried to appear normal,” Menorca said, adding that the interview was scripted due to the presence of INC officials and lawyers.

“Was there ever a threat to harm your family? None,” Vinluan told Menorca.

“Obviously, you have never been kidnapped,” Menorca shot back.

Menorca said they were restrained and heavily guarded but no threat was made at knife or at gun point.

Vinluan told the court that Menorca could play bowling or go to the gym, but the latter said those activities could be done within the INC compound.

He said they were allowed to go out a few times to go to Philippine Arena and hospital, and buy medicines and DVDs across the compound, but they were heavily escorted.

Menorca said they made several requests to go out but they were denied.

“The escort is there to protect you more than anything else,” Vinluan said, to which Menorca countered, “no.”

Menorca said that until now, they continued to receive threats and fear for their safety. RC