(Eagle News) — President Aquino on Tuesday explained that the Philippine government and the Iglesia Ni Cristo had reached an “understanding” where both positions had been clarified which resulted in the INC calling off its “peaceful assembly” after almost five days of protest.
In a forum hosted by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the President also clarified that he had not talked to INC Executive Minister Bro. Eduardo V. Manalo during the crisis where thousands of INC members took to the streets.
“I haven’t had the opportunity to talk to Ka Eduardo personally. We have liaisons that go back and forth between us. I did send the Executive Secretary to clearly state what the government’s positions were: that everybody’s rights will be protected..,” he said during the Inquirer forum.
“In gist, what their spokesman said na ‘nagkaunawaan’ I think represents clearly what was achieved,” the President stressed.
He noted that there were groups that the Palace and its intelligence sources had observed to have been seen in the INC assemblies. These groups, he said, who are not members of the INC and who are known to be critical of the government were allegedly “out to create divisions”, and which had in fact tried to “exploit fears” of the INC, Aquino said.
But he said the two sides — the government and the INC — were able to clarify each other’s positions regarding this matter in the end.
“So we came to that agreement and they recalled off their followers afterwards,” the President recounted.
Aquino also said that the case filed by an expelled INC minister Isaias Samson Jr, against eight ministers, who were members of the INC’s Sanggunian or Advisory Council, “will stand or fall on its merits.”
“And perhaps you can look at the affidavit of complaints, and you yourself, I think can assess it even if you’re a non-lawyer. Look at it and see whether or not it proves the accusation,” Aquino said.
The President explained that under the present system of laws, the accuser has the burden of proof.
“So if you accuse someone of doing something, you have to prove it. Does it exist in this affidavit of complaints or does it not?” he said.
This was the first time for President Aquino to come out and explain to the media what had happened during the high-level talks with the INC that had protested what it called extraordinary interest of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on the complaint for serious illegal detention filed against eight ministers of the INC’s Sanggunian — the advisory council of ministers of the INC Executive Minister.
Legal experts have said that the serious illegal detention complaint would result in the issuance of arrest warrants if it passes the DOJ investigation. The possibility of the imminent arrest of the eight top INC ministers prompted the peaceful street demonstrations of the INC which is known for its respect for the rule of law.
The INC said the DOJ, particularly secretary Leila de Lima in this instance, was already attempting to interfere in church affairs — particularly the disiciplining of an erring minister who had sworn to follow church administrative rules. All ministers have sworn to abide by the rules of the Church Administration or “Pamamahala”, including all biblically-based INC doctrines during their ordination.
Samson and his family were then living in the INC housing compound for INC in Tandang Sora, Quezon City when his rights were restricted. All INC housing for ministers have assigned security guards manning the compound gate for the protection of all ministers’ families living there.
Samson, while he was still a minister, had sworn to follow administrative proceedings, including investigations for alleged wrongful acts.
The INC’s Sanggunian had earlier instructed Samson, who was then still an INC minister, to submit to this investigation.
But Samson defied the order and instead went to the media after he left the INC compound supposedly to attend an INC worship service. He was allowed to leave the INC compound without any escorts.
He was then being investigated for writing supposed blogs that tried to sow disunity in the Church. While Samson denied being the blog writer who uses the pseudonym “Antonio Ebangelista,” the expelled INC minister said he believed all the allegations contained in the blog and even referred to the alleged evidence against certain INC church officials contained in the blog in his media interviews.
The INC had earlier dared Samson to produce real evidence of what he called wrongful acts of certain members of the Sanggunian.
After Samson had gone to the media to air his complaints against the INC, he was expelled for trying to sow disunity within the Church and not submitting to the INC’s Church administration.
The INC started its peaceful assembly after Samson filed his complaint against the INC before the DOJ. The peaceful assembly started in front of the DOJ office along Padre Faura in Manila on Aug. 27. The assembly moved to EDSA on the night of Aug. 28, Friday. Heavy traffic build-up and clogging was reported only in the evening of Aug. 30, Sunday, when thousands of INC members, many of them coming from the provinces, started to arrive after completing their church obligations, including worship services. The rally was called off by the INC the following day, in the morning of Aug. 31 after the clarificatory meetings with Malacanang’s emissaries.
