Rappler: After the 2015 controversies: What's been happening inside the Iglesia ni Cristo?

For the INC's 105th anniversary on July 27, Rappler speaks with members, both active and inactive, who talk about changes – some of them painful – in their church

Jodesz Gavilan for Rappler

@jodeszgavilan

Published 11:35 AM, July 27, 2019

Updated 11:35 AM, July 27, 2019

MANILA, Philippines – For many years, Guia* embodied what is expected of a loyal member of the Iglesia ni Cristo.

She regularly attended services, moved in a circle full of INC members, aligned her activities with the teachings, and didn’t have any bit of doubt about what the church stands for.

“I was living in a bubble because my community was mainly centered around the church, the home, and the school,” Guia told Rappler. “I didn't have other perspectives.”

But everything changed one fateful month in 2015.

The months surrounding July 2015 were a battle of propaganda and violence between the strong circle of INC executive director Eduardo V. Manalo and the camp of expelled members, including high-ranking ministers and even members of the Manalo family. (READ: Revolt in the Iglesia ni Cristo)

There were huge rallies on EDSA, small stakeouts outside the family compound along Tandang Sora Avenue, and toxic exchanges on social media which extended to groups outside of the warring sides, including politicians and the media.

It was also when the INC explicitly flexed its political influence cultivated since its establishment in 1914 by Felix Manalo. (INFOGRAPHIC: What you should know about the Iglesia ni Cristo)

But for Guia and many members of the INC, the period starting July 2015 was the beginning of what they refer to as an unravelling of the group’s flaws. The biggest controversy that struck the 105-year-old religious group was a turning point for many who were born into, or grew up in, the church. (READ: Manalo brother hits Iglesia ni Cristo 'corruption')

“What made me more awakened, I guess, was that the facts are there,” Guia said, admitting being in denial for the first few months. “The videos kept coming up, more people were speaking up, the blogs were out…it’s that bad.”

The conversations painted a picture of a leadership both aggressively fighting doubts from its own members and shielding them from external criticism.

“I would look forward to going to Church before because I would love to listen to the lessons basically that say do good, check your lifestyle, there was no judgment,” Guia said.

“But now, it has become the way that we need to defend our church against these attackers, we are being attacked and therefore we should fight back,” she added.

Rappler has repeatedly tried since Wednesday, July 24, to get the side of the INC leadership through its spokesperson Edwil Zabala, but text messages and emails have yet to be answered as of Saturday, July 27. We will update this story once we get a response.

ONE. One of the social media posts supporting EVM after the 2015 controversies. Screenshot from Facebook

'One with EVM'

A few months after July 2015, Guia saw herself seated among other faithfuls inside one INC locale in Quezon City, watching a recorded video of Eduardo V Manalo – or EVM – preaching from one faraway place.

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It was the first of what became a fixture in many locales within and outside the Philippines, as confirmed by other INC members Rappler talked to.

Based in the United States, Luis* spent his whole life in the church as his father's side are all members of the INC while his mother converted upon marriage. He described himself as a "good follower" who held a few positions within his locale.

He told Rappler that these videos usually showed EVM preaching from different locations where he went to for church dedications, adding that many members who are against the leadership called this “‘pay-per-view’ service since you give your offering to watch a recording.”

Carlos*, whose INC locale is also in the US, said that the videos would be played every weekend and would take longer than the usual services.

“The church loves to pride itself in unity, so weekly lessons are the same worldwide,” he said.

For Guia, the videos felt like an effort by the church administration to keep EVM in the spotlight amid allegations of corruption and mismanagement. These charges against his leadership came from expelled members and his own family.

“I also felt uncomfortable with it [after a while] because I was in church and I would feel, bakit ako nanonood? (Why am I watching this?)” she said. “It wasn't spiritual for me, it's as if I was mechanically watching television.”

Aside from the frequent videos, many of the church activities were fashioned after the name of EVM, including one dubbed as "Make EVM Smile" project.

Jose*, an active INC member from 1988 to 2017 in Texas, said that he has seen how teachings shifted from being based on the Bible to everything for EVM.

The hymns he used to sing as a choir member growing up were pulled out and replaced with songs that give glory to the leadership. “I hear it’s only gotten worse now. People sing songs about him when he visits,” Jose added.

A quick search on YouTube will show several videos of songs about EVM. One of these songs, I Am One With EVM, was uploaded in August 2016 and featured international locales.

EVM AWARDS. The Iglesia ni Cristo holds its Excellence in Visual Media (EVM) awards in October 2015. File photo by Rappler

Obey the administration

Since July 2015, the circle of expelled and current members has grown bigger and with it, sentiments and allegations against the INC leadership. Anti-INC bloggers writing under pseudonyms became more active while international media reported on the controversies surrounding the INC.

These developments, as expected, did not sit well with the leadership. But for many inside the INC, particularly millennials, the external criticism opened their eyes to what was happening – something that the INC administration tried to discourage and stop.

How did they do it? According to INC members Rappler whom talked to, denial was their first resort followed by censorship of any external media that showed a contrary view.

“The church leadership censors the brethren as we are told not to listen, read, or watch anything that puts the church in a bad light,” Carlos said. “We are told not to believe the negative things that are being said about the church, and are told to only trust news that are on the church website/radio/TV channel.”

Luis, meanwhile, said that lessons became very repetitive and “became more focused on the administration and [the need] to obey them.” The church, he said, became more controlling of its members.

Dennis*, a member for 40 years, saw that the leadership implemented the mantra “obey and never complain” which forced many of its members to turn a blind eye to everything else or face possible expulsion.

“That mantra in itself reveals just how much the INC despises critical thought and analysis or accountability,” he told Rappler. “In other words, you are not allowed to ask questions just follow what you are told.”

Staying or leaving

This has led to a more problematic outcome, the members said, as sisters and brothers were allegedly encouraged to report those who are defying the orders of the leadership.

“There was a lot of tension within the brethren and they were encouraged to spy and tell on each other if they see that they might be against the church administration,” Carlos said.

Being expelled from the religious group, also called “tiwalag,” is said to be the worst thing that can happen to an INC member. For many, being subjected to it means you can no longer be "saved" or even lose benefits that come with membership in the church.

An expulsion decision is finalized ideally only after going through a rigorous process, an INC source told Rappler. The expelled member’s name is removed from the official roster and immediately announced in the following church service. (FAST FACTS: What does 'tiwalag' mean for Iglesia ni Cristo?)

Expelled members cannot attend INC-related activities, and in many cases, are barred from speaking to other members. This is precisely why many are afraid to speak up or go against the orders of the church leadership publicly.

“The paranoia became really high, everyone was being afraid of being reported,” Jose said.

There are INC members who have publicly challenged the leadership only to be persecuted and expelled. Others have reduced their involvement in church activities and are just waiting to be called out, lacking enough courage to actually terminate their membership given the repercussions. (READ: Ex-INC members alarmed over 'disappearances')

Guia believes that the loss of confidence of many of INC members could have been avoided if only the leadership was open to the questions they had. The lack of transparency only worsened things.

“It would help if they would just explain to us what’s happening just so I can see their openness to discuss what members feel about the controversies,” she said.

“I think it would make me more comfortable, more safer to be part of the church.” – Rappler.com

*Names of the subjects have been changed for their protection.

Jenifer Manalo Asawa ng Kapatid ni Eduardo V. Manalo Pinasinungalingan ang NET25/Zabala | 27Jul16

INC Exposed by CBS News (Canada) ~ How The Fifth Estate dealt with intimidation | The Investigators with Diana Swain

"INC run by one family..." -CBS News

Silent No More: Iglesia Ni Cristo Intimidates CBC Investigative Journalists

Source: Iglesia Ni Cristo – Silent No More by Antonio Ramirez Ebangelista

Just a short sampler of the BIG ONE airing on Sunday is this short but already in-depth feature of Fifth Estate Investigative Team with Diana Swain. See how The Investigators clearly documented the harassment they experienced in the hands of people who profess to be Christians but showed hate-filled behaviors to intimidate with the intent to harm others.

This is the same church that shows love and compassion towards its fellow men through their highly publicized turned controversial Aides To Humanity and other so-called Community Services where they display overwhelming generosity towards strangers while they hail their Executive Leader who is exemplary in denying love and compassion to his own mother and family! This is the same church who proudly bears the name of Christ in the hopes that the public will not see through the motives behind their blatant propaganda. What is becoming clearer and clearer is that they propagate their faith as people who want their fellowmen to achieve salvation, but their actions deny the basic principles of being Christ’s disciples.

Such a barrage of lies will be exposed and more and more secrets of the current leaders of this institution shall be revealed in the whole story, Church of Secrets…

A. E.

While investigating Iglesia ni Cristo, a Filipino church with dozens of congregations in Canada, a Fifth Estate crew felt intimidation that went beyond the usual. Diana talks to host Bob McKeown and producer Timothy Sawa about how they dealt with it. Watch ‘The Investigators with Diana Swain’ Thursdays at 7:00 pm on CBC Television; Saturdays at 9:30 pm ET and Sundays at 5:30 pm ET on CBC News Network.

INC church members accused of kidnapping, murder in Philippines - The Fifth Estate

Could it be the reason why this Catholic priest Fr. Richmond Nilo was also murdered by unknown assailants?

PDI (2015): Iglesia nonsense

Philippine Daily Inquirer /  August 31, 2015

Photo source: PDI

THE OFFICIAL reasons given by Iglesia ni Cristo officials and spokespersons for the protest actions that began on Thursday—first at the Department of Justice in Manila, then at the Edsa Shrine in Quezon City, and then since Saturday at the intersection of Edsa and Shaw in Mandaluyong—do not make sense. They do not stand logical or legal scrutiny. Instead, they betray the surge of panic that has overtaken some of the leaders of the influential church.

To begin, not at the beginning, but at the end: The protest organizers misunderstand the longstanding doctrine of the separation of church and state, which is the main reason they have offered to justify their collective mass action. That doctrine does not mean that offenses committed internally—that is, inside the church or within the congregation—cannot be investigated by the state; if a crime is involved, or alleged, then by definition that kind of violation is an offense against “the people,” and the state is duty-bound to investigate the matter. If evidence exists of the crime, the state must prosecute the guilty to the fullest extent, to meet the ends of justice.

The separation doctrine the officials of the Iglesia ni Cristo are invoking do not grant them, or indeed any leader or member of any church, an exemption from that fundamental principle: No one is above the law.

Last week, the family of a former highly placed minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo filed a case for serious illegal detention against eight members of the church’s governing council. Isaias Samson Jr., the former chief editor of the official Iglesia publication, and his wife and son sued the officials—allegedly for detaining them for nine days in July in their own home, holding them incommunicado, confiscating their passports and subjecting them to repeated interrogation. (In the blog of the whistle-blower using the pseudonym Antonio Ramirez Ebangelista, the eight are identified as Glicerio Santos Jr., Radel Cortez, Bienvenido Santiago Sr., Mathusalem Pareja, Rolando Esguerra, Eraño Codera, Rodelio Cabrerra and Maximo Bularan.) The nightmare happened because Samson was suspected of being the whistle-blower Ebangelista, and it ended only when the family escaped.

Criminals or Persecuted?

No! You cannot silence them. We have seen how vicious you are in attacking those who exposed your Executive Minister's alleged love of earthly wealth that even his own siblings and mom were expelled from the church their grandfather has founded. You must be ashamed of yourselves for calling your group "Christians" because in all of Biblical stories, NONE of the prophets, sages and holy men and women have broken one of God's commandment ~ to love, respect and obey their parents (Ex. 20:12; Eph. 6:1), and none of them loved earthly wealth and power!

You can't fool the Canadian government. Those videos which proves their lives were under threat from your group are all available in public domain for anyone to see, and these videos were shot and videotaped by credible news sources in the Philippines and they all say otherwise.

CRIMINALS IN RP, CRIMINALS IN NORTH AMERICA

By. Don Orozco

Source: Philippine News 

Lowell Menorca II and Rovic Canono, expelled former members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) presently enjoying “asylum” in Canada after claiming political persecution in the Philippines, now literally “cash in” on their completely fictitious victim status. 

After being granted political protection on the basis of fantastic and unverified claims of threats to their safety and security, Menorca and Canono lost no time in doing what they planned to accomplish in Canada in the first place – to make the liberal, permissive and benevolent country a base for their money laundering activities and continued campaign to discredit the INC... 

...Menorca and Canono enjoy zero credibility and legitimacy in the Philippines. Before they fled the country secretly in 2016, they were both facing multiple charges of rape, domestic violence against spouse and children, adultery and other heavy criminal offenses....

KUNG MAY UTANG ANG IGLESIA NI CRISTO®: "MAGHIWA-HIWALAY NA TAYO!" -Erano G. Manalo

Transcript:

Pangangaral ni G. ERAÑO G. MANALO
Talumpati ng yumaong Pangalawang Punong Ministro, Anak ng Tagapag-tatag ng Iglesia Ni Cristo® na si Felix Y. Manalo sa ika-75 na anibersaryo nang pagkakatatag ng INC™, Hulyo 27, 1989.

Papaano natutustusan ng Iglesia Ni Cristo ang lahat at ang iba pang mga proyekto nito? Masasabi natin na ang Iglesia Ni Cristo na nagsimula rito sa Pilipinas, at sinimulan ng isang Pilipino, at itinataguyod ng mga angaw-angaw ng mga Pilipino, ay tumayo sa kanyang sariling paa.

Wala pong tumutustos na dayuhan. Wala pong foreign aid. Sa madaling sabi ang Iglesia ho Ni Cristo ay walang utang kahit saang bangko.

Ang Iglesia Ni Cristo ay hindi po nagsasangla ng mga titulo ng lupa para lamang makakuha ng pondo.  Bukas... bukas ang opisina ng Iglesia [Ni Cristo]. 'Pag nakakita kayo ng kahit isang titulo na may gravamen, o mayroon marka ng pagkakasanla, MAGHIWA-HIWALAY NA TAYO!

Kaya ho sa atin eh, walang gigipit na World Bank. Kahit na ang IMF (International Monetary Fund). At lalong hindi tayo  kontrolado ng mga dayuhan.  

Hindi naman tayo kumukuha sa kinikita ng Casino. Wala tayong pasugal, paperya, walang loterya, walang binggo, para lang makalikom ng pera. Wala ho niyan.

Lalo namang hindi tayo tumatanggap ng pera mula sa mga kandidato o sa sinumang pinuno ng gobyerno.

Eh saan ho nanggaling ang salaping itinutustos sa napakaraming proyekto ng Iglesia? 'Yan po ay sa tulong ng Diyos at sa pamamagitan ng boluntaryong kontribusyon ng mga kaanib sa mga araw ng pagsamba na ang karamihan sa mga kaanib na 'yan na siyang sumusuporta sa Iglesia...

* * *

Over P1B bank loans for the Iglesia ni Cristo’s Philippine Arena?

The late INC executive minister Eraño Manalo once said, 'Ang Iglesia ni Cristo ay walang utang kahit na saang bangko. Ang Iglesia ni Cristo ay hindi nagsasanla ng mga titulo ng lupa para lamang makakuha ng pondo.' -Rappler 

* * *

Iglesia property in The Fort sold for almost P1B
Three high-end condominium towers – all part of Fort Victoria in upscale Bonifacio Global City in The Fort – stand on prime property of the INC acquired in March 1998. That property, located on 5th Avenue corner Rizal Drive in Taguig City has, however, been sold by the INC for close to P1 billion ($21.62 million) to NSJB, Rappler has learned. -Rappler

* * *

Evidence of Church Properties Used as Collateral 

(Source: Silent No More)

These are but a small sample among the hundreds of properties owned by “Iglesia ni Cristo” which were used as collateral for loans with Metrobank and AUB.  In particular, the ones shown below are among a very long list of properties used to secure an ADDITIONAL P3 BILLION LOAN with Metrobank and an ADDITIONAL P2 BILLION LOAN with AUB. Remember the word “ADDITIONAL” because that’s significant and I will get back to that later.

Let’s study the first one.

1. TCT RT-113559

* * *

INC™ received kickbacks from LTO officials?

This is the same LTO that was gung-ho in awarding the vehicle license plates contract to  a Dutch firm for millions of dollars. The making of these vehicle plates used to be done by a local company with links to an influential  religious sect.  Being a crucial voting bloc in local elections and national elections, the Iglesia ni Cristo did not have  to shell out kickback money to certain LTO officials. [CONTINUE READING]

Rappler: Ex-INC members alarmed over 'disappearances'

MANILA, Philippines – At least two former members of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) have gone missing, in two separate incidents that occurred within days of each other.

Danilo Patungan, a security guard for a condominium in Bonifacio Global City, has been out of touch since leaving for work the afternoon of April 11, according to his wife Delia.

Days later, another expelled INC member, Felix Villocino, also went missing and has not returned to his Quezon City residence for days.

Several excommunicated INC members told Rappler they fear this is a repeat of the reported abductions of expelled church ministers back in 2015, when the family feud between INC executive minister Eduardo Manalo and his estranged siblings, Angel Manalo and Lottie Manalo-Hemedez, came to light. (READ: Revolt in the Iglesia ni Cristo)

Both Patungan and Villocino have links to the INC leader's estranged brother, Felix Nathaniel "Angel" Manalo.

Patungan had been a security guard for Angel for 16 years, before moving to his current job at the Taguig City condominium 3 years ago. Villocino, meanwhile, has long been delivering food and other supplies to the Manalos' residence in Tandang Sora, Quezon City.

Missing since April 11

In a phone interview with Rappler on Tuesday, April 25, Delia Patungan said her husband left for work on April 11 for his night shift duties. She said Danilo had a habit of sending her a text message to inform her that he had safely arrived at work.

But the text message never came. Delia tried calling his phone, but could not reach her husband. She called up Danilo's workplace, but was told that he had not appeared for work that day.

"Kinabahan ako noong sinabi ng OIC na hindi siya nakarating," she said. (I got nervous when the officer-in-charge from his workplace told me that he didn't arrive at work.)

Delia said she could not think of any reason for her husband to go missing. He had no quarrel with anyone, she said, and he was not involved in drugs or any illegal activities. While he is a former INC member, she said Danilo no longer has any connection or communication with the church or with the Manalos.

"Biglaang nangyari...Wala akong makapa, kahit 'yung motor niya di namin makita," she said. (It happened so suddenly. There's nothing for me to hold on to, even his motorcycle can't be found.)

Danilo's family has filed reports with the police, scoured hospitals around the route he takes to work, and asked highway police if they had seen anything unusual on the night he went missing. They also got CCTV footage around the Tandang Sora area where he usually passes by, but Delia said they've had no luck finding him. [Read more...]

I.N.C. INTERNATIONALLY BANNED AND UNDER INVESTIGATION Ni Antonio Ramirez Ebangelista

“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime” – old Chinese proverb

This line of wisdom is a universal truth, yet if used by an expelled member of the church or even a non-member, the Church of EVM fanatics will always be quick to reply (without even thinking) that it should not be accepted simply because it came from the “tiwalag” (expelled/non-members). Thus began the era of EVM (Eduardo V. Manalo) wherein anything he says is considered infallible or gospel truth and anything that goes against his every word (more like whim) is considered as a blatant lie, because according to the EVM fanatics, how can EVM lie since he has been placed by God to be the Shepherd of the flock?

Do we disagree that EVM is a shepherd of the flock? No. The Bible describes him perfectly:

“What sorrow awaits the leaders of my people–the shepherds of my sheep–for they have destroyed and scattered the very ones they were expected to care for,” says the LORD. ~ Jeremiah 23:1 NLT

So what did the leaders of the Church of Christ do in order to hide their inadequacies and incompetence? They try to cover them up with a facade of false and shallow victories… they ushered in the era of superficial activities:.. continue reading...

Human rights violations? Manalo siblings' lawyers seek court's help

The camp of Lottie Manalo-Hemedez and Angel Manalo, estranged siblings of Iglesia executive minister Eduardo Manalo, has filed an urgent motion to allow them to enter the controversial 36 Tandang Sora compound

RAIN OR SHINE. Lawyer Rene Saguisag (in black jacket) waits outside the contested 36 Tandang Sora compound to talk to Angel Manalo and Lottie Manalo-Hemedez, estranged siblings of INC leader Eduardo Manalo. Rappler sourced photo

Rappler.com

Published 1:14 PM, October 13, 2016

Updated 1:14 PM, October 13, 2016

The tension surrounding the controversial 36 Tandang Sora property seems to be far from over.

On Wednesday, October 12, the camp of Lottie Manalo-Hemedez and Angel Manalo, estranged siblings of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) executive minister Eduardo Manalo, filed an urgent motion at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (QC RTC) Branch 88 to let lawyers enter the contested compound.

According to the motion penned by human rights lawyer Rene Saguisag, who replaced Trixie Cruz-Angeles as counsel, they had tried to get access to the compound to talk to the Manalo siblings on September 12, 19, and 23. However, they were either met with silence or blocked by INC security.

“The first time we went a month ago, we stood outside the gate in the wind and rain for hours and left frustrated,” Saguisag wrote. “We went 5 days later and found the gates still barred but without the security we dealt with the first time. There was a light at the left side which was quickly turned off. A voice we heard from the unopened side small gate and we pled for entry, in vain."

“The following Friday, absolutely nothing, and we left after 20 minutes. No one to talk with at all,” he added.

Manalo and Hemedez claimed they have been harassed as they continue to assert their right to the property: Walls were built to enclose the compound, water supply has been shut down, and electricity bills left unpaid. (READ: After P1M unpaid Meralco bill, power cut in INC Manalo house)

Together with their respective families, the Manalo siblings have remained inside the QC compound since being expelled from the INC, following corruption allegations against the leadership.

The latest incident of harassment, according to a letter received by Saguisag and which was cited in the motion, was that INC security have deprived the families of Manalo and Hemedez of food usually delivered by Manalo’s father-in-law through a window.

“Ngayong araw na ito ay hindi na pinapayagan iabot sa bintana ang pagkain,” the letter stated. “Ang ginawa pong pagpapahirap ng INC ay naglatag sila ng la mesa sa harapan ng bahay at gusto nila ay lumabas ang tao sa bahay at dun sa la mesa sa labas kunin ang pagkain.”

(Today, they stopped allowing food to be given through a window. What the INC is doing now is that they put the food on top of a table in front of the house. They want us to go outside and get the food ourselves.)

The letter added that this is a strategy by the leadership to lure them out of their houses, and not be let back in.

Hemedez and the INC camp have been fighting over the two-hectare property for months.

The INC, however, said that their stay inside 36 Tandang Sora is illegal after the Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 12, in June 2016, ruled in their favor in an ejectment case against the Manalo siblings. (READ: Court orders Manalo siblings out of 36 Tandang Sora)

But in July, QC RTC Branch 43 denied the petition for writ of execution filed by the INC since Hemedez and Manalo were able to file their appeal within the prescribed period and weren't required to pay bonds. (READ: QC Court: Manalo siblings can stay in 36 Tandang Sora)

Meanwhile, the INC Defenders Worldwide, in an open letter published on August 17, called on President Rodrigo Duterte to intervene and do something about the "human rights violations” involving the Manalo siblings. (READ: INC group asking for 'Duterte intervention' in church crisis?) – Jodesz Gavilan / Rappler.com

Inside Track is Rappler's intelligencer on people, events, places and everything of public interest. It's a take-off from Newsbreak's Inside Track section. Contributions are most welcome. Just send bits of information to investigative@rappler.com.