(Eagle News) – Expelled Iglesia Ni Cristo member Lowell Menorca II and his family have been spotted in Ho Chi Minh Airport in Vietnam, contrary to reports being disseminated now by his lawyer, Atty. Trixie Angeles, that Menorca was nowhere to be found.
Menorca and his wife, Jinky Seiko Otsuka Menorca, and daughter, were seen Sunday night at the airport boarding a flight for Vietnam.
They left Manila around 10:45 Sunday night, and arrived in Vietnam at 12:30 a.m. (1:30 a.m. Manila time) Monday, March 7.
A lawyer of the Iglesia Ni Cristo said this was an attempt by Menorca to escape his numerous cases in court.
Lawyer Moises Tolentino Jr., a collaborating counsel of the INC, said Menorca was supposed to be cross-examined this morning at the Court of Appeals where a case for writ of amparo filed by Menorca’s brother and sister in law against the INC, is still pending.
Menorca, now a fugitive from justice
“Fearing that more of his lies – and sins – would be exposed had he faced the last stage of the scheduled cross examination this morning, he chose to abscond beset by several libel suits and an adultery charge to boot. He took the cowardly option. He took a hurried flight last night bound for Vietnam. He is now a fugitive from justice,” Tolentino said in a press conference Monday.
“He robbed us of the opportunity to expose his lies,” he said.
Menorca is facing numerous libel cases filed by SCAN International. Aside from the writ of amparo being heard at the Court of Appeals, Menorca is also facing an adultery case.
Previously, Menorca claimed he is ready to face all charges in court.
He even tried to make it appear that there were people who had been trying to prevent him from testifying before the Court of Appeals.
In a report made by GMA news online, Menorca tried to make it appear that he had been receiving death threats.
His lawyer, Atty. Angeles, then made a statement to media that Menorca was nowhere to be found.
Tolentino observed how Menorca’s lawyer was “not forthright and less than candid” in court, as she did not reveal that her client had already left the country in the CA proceedings earlier.
INC to ask the CA to strike off the records Menorca’s judicial affidavit
Tolentino said that the INC intends to move for the striking off from the records of the court Menorca’s judicial affidavit that made up his direct testimony with the Court of Appeals.
“He (Menorca) had hoped he could rely upon his false and fantastic allegations contained in his affidavit to support his accusations of abduction and illegal detention against top officials of the Iglesia Ni Cristo. He saw his case crumbling and destined to go the same way (as the) two other similar complaints earlier filed by expelled members of the Church, hence, his decision to leave the country,” Tolentino said.
In the presscon, INC spokesperson Edwil Zabala also talked thru skype to the INC members who saw Menorca and his family board the flight to Vietnam at the Ninoy Aquino Airport Terminal 3. The witnesses also saw Menorca and his family at the Ho Chi Minh airport.
Zabala said it was obvious now, how Menorca has a penchant for making up stories.
Tolentino added: “Coming to court with dirty hands, charging innocent people with offenses they did not commit then leaving like a thief in the night, Menorca had trifled with our judicial processes and showed no respect for our institutions of justice.”
He said that the INC would “leave it to the court to impose the sanctions (Menorca) deserves under the rules”
In social media, photos of Menorca at Ho Chi Minh airport and while on plane quickly circulated among INC netizens.
Some criticized Menorca for his post. Jethro Samson posted “LBM… please stop the drama… Don’t use your daughter to divert the issue …”
Others complained about media reports mis-identifying Menorca as a former INC minister. Brother Edwil Zabala has clarified in previous press interviews that Menorca has never been a minister of the INC. He studied in the ministry but failed to be ordained as a minister.