What Went Before: Manalo family feud

In May 2016, the Quezon City prosecutor’s office dismissed the complaint of falsification of public documents filed by Lottie Manalo-Hemedez against her brother and Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) executive minister Eduardo Manalo in connection with a disputed property in Tandang Sora.

Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Solivan Usman recommended the dismissal of the complaint for lack of evidence. It was approved by Division 4 chief Second Assistant City Prosecutor Rogelio Antero and Senior City Prosecutor Joel Atanacio for the acting chief prosecutor.

In her complaint, Hemedez questioned a Deed of Absolute Sale dated April 21, 2015, which canceled a land title under her name and the name of her husband Edward Hemedez (Transfer Certificate of Title No. N-14305).

Since July 2015, when the rift within the INC leadership became public, the families of Hemedez and Angel Manalo were holed up at No. 36 Tandang Sora Avenue, Quezon City.

In June 2016, Judge Anne Perpetual Rivera-Sia of Metropolitan Manila Trial Court Branch 12 ordered Hemedez and Manalo to “immediately vacate” the compound and yield the property to the church.

“An action for unlawful detainer is maintained to recover possession of real property from one who illegally withholds possession after the expiration or termination of his right to hold possession under any contract, express or implied,” the order said.

—INQUIRER RESEARCH

Source: Inquirer Archives