Ex-minister files illegal detention complaint vs INC’s Sanggunian members

A FORMER minister of Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) filed a complaint for harassment, illegal detention, threats and coercion against members of the Sanggunian, the INC’s highest administrative council.

Named in the complaint submitted before the Department of Justice (DOJ) are Atty. Glicerio B. Santos Jr., Radel G. Cortez, Bienvenido C. Santiago, Sr., Mathusalem V. Pareja, Rolando Esguerra, Eraño Codera, Rodelio Cabrerra and Maximo Bularan.

Complainants Isaias Samson Jr., Myrna Dionela Samson and Isaiah Samson said they were prohibited from leaving their house in Quezon City last July after he was accused of being “Antonio Ebanghelista,” the blogger who have been writing against INC.

Samson Jr., former editor in chief of INC’s official publication Pasugo, denied the allegation.

“Since I really was and still am not the person they are accusing me to be, I simply but carefully evaded their ridiculous questions. After an hour of not getting any favorable answer from me, they shifted to a more stringent, threatening and ultimately wildly aggressive mode of interrogation. The whole affair felt very surreal to me; and the feeling of fear and anxiety made me think that I was experiencing what it would have been like to be the subject of Torquemada’s Inquisition,” Samson Jr. said.

“Little by little, it became clear to me that the Sanggunian was hell-bent on pinning the great exposé on me. True enough, in a bid to extract more information which they thought they could use to substantiate their specious allegations, they subsequently confiscated my phone and my office desktop computer,” he added.

Samson Jr. also said 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. He said someone was sent to buy groceries for them.

Samson Jr. said “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 came and said they will secure and protect him but the policemen ran away after members of the media tried to approach them.

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