QUEZON City, Philippines (Eagle News) – The Iglesia Ni Cristo, through its spokesperson, Bro. Edwil Zabala, on Thursday (Jan. 14) held a press conference where the official statement of the Church was read regarding the decision of the INC to finally file an ejectment case against expelled members, Mr. Angel Manalo and Mrs. Lottie Hemedez.
He added that when they were expelled, they lost the privilege of living in the Iglesia Ni Cristo compound. They were only allowed to stay temporarily due to humanitarian reasons.
According to Bro. Edwil Zabala, the Church has decided to file the ejectment case against the former members because of security reasons.
The following is the official press statement of the Iglesia Ni Cristo presented during the press conference at the atrium of the Eagle Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) building:
IGLESIA NI CRISTO
Press Statement (English version)
January 14, 2016
“The Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) administration under the stewardship of the Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, has decided to file an ejectment case in court against its former members Mr. Angel Manalo, Mrs. Lottie Hemedez and company who until now have refused to leave the INC housing compound at #36 Tandang Sora Avenue, Quezon City.
We wish to emphasize that the entire #36 TandangSora compound is the property of the Iglesia Ni Cristo. However, this ownership right of the Church has been disrespected and even violated by the camp of Mr. Angel and Mrs. Lottie.
Their privilege to stay in the INC’s housing located at the said compound ended with their expulsion from the Church on July 23, 2015. Since then, they have already lost the privilege to reside in the housing compound of the Church. Nevertheless, in consideration of Christian principles and humanitarian reasons, we did not immediately order them to vacate the premises.
Despite being allowed to stay within the property owned by the Church, they have decided to engage in activities that threaten the very security of the INC compound which is very close to the INC Central Office, including the residents living near the area.
In fact, CCTV footages showed that they have previously allowed the entry of unidentified men wearing masks even during unholy hours. These men carried big bags containing things that only they know. Some of the men have even managed to stay in the compound – these masked men were seen holding cameras and carrying big bags inside the compound. We ask the public: If this is happening in your backyard, would you allow this to continue? Would you not take legal action?
Because of this, the INC filed an injunction case in court against them on September 21, 2015. The court understood the need for security which is why the judge himself allowed the INC to impose security measures for monitoring purposes (September 29, 2015). There had been repeated requests for them to submit a list of names of the people staying there. The court has already ordered the camp of Mr. Angel and Mrs. Lottie to submit the names of those staying in the compound. But until now they have not complied. These suspicious unauthorized persons have been staying near the Central Office for more than three months now. Up to now the camp of Mr. Angel and Mrs. Lottie have refused to give the required list of names. Aren’t the authorized residents of the INC Central Compound entitled to freedom from fear and right to security?
One night in November 2015, a man was brought out by Mr. Angel and his companions outside the compound, and the next thing we knew he was dead the following morning. Until now, we do not know the circumstances of this event. And yet they try to put the blame for this man’s death on the Church.
In December 2015, during the ocular inspection by the sheriff upon orders of the court, they refused to let the court sheriff inspect the entire property, and instead insisted that only the structure fronting the compound is the only place that the court should inspect.
On their admission, they themselves said that the other areas, including the other buildings and houses in the two-hectare compound, are already INC property.
Because of this, the INC extended further the temporary galvanized iron fence to protect this larger part of the INC compound. It was also during this instance that the INC was able to recover 39 0f its vehicles that Angel’s camp had been hiding for a long time. The INC is still looking for the 20 other vehicles registered under the name of the Church.
Mr. Angel, Mrs. Lottie and company refuse to pay their electric consumption and what they want is for the INC to continue to pay this for them. Truth be told, for humanitarian considerations, up to now it is the INC which continues to pay for their water consumption.
These past few days, even their housemaids acted inappropriately when INC security guards tried to inspect the items they were bringing inside. CCTV video have shown they tried to fight off the INC security, trying to hurt them, hurling invectives and other foul words at them as the INC security guards tried to do their inspection.
All these have brought alarm to the brethren of the INC. A big number of INC members have expressed apprehension for the security, not only of the INC Central Office, but more importantly for the life of our most beloved Executive Minister Brother Eduardo V. Manalo.
In all of these circumstances, you who have been observing us, you can decide for yourselves. Is it right to accuse the leadership of the Iglesia Ni Cristo of human rights violations?
In the face of all of these, they have not only continued to maliciously spread lies, but are also filing cases that do not reflect the truth.
Their lies in media and attempts to destroy the Church’s reputation, including that of the Church Administration, have reached the saturation point. So the Church will now do the proper course of action in accordance with the law.”
(Tagalog version of INC Press Statement)
“Ang Pamamahala ng Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) sa pangunguna ng aming Executive Minister, ang Kapatid na Eduardo V. Manalo, ay nagpasiya nang magsampa ng ejectment case sa hukuman laban sa mga dating kaanib nito na sina G. Angel Manalo at Gng. Lottie Hemedez at mga kasama na hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin umaalis sa housing compound ng Iglesia sa #36 Tandang Sora Avenue.
Nais naming bigyang-diin na ang buong compound sa #36 Tandang Sora ay pagmamay-ari ng Iglesia Ni Cristo. Subalit ang karapatang ito ng Iglesia ay hindi na iginagalang kundi niyuyurakan pa ng kampo nina G. Angel at Gng. Lottie.
Sapul nang sila’y itiniwalag noong July 23, 2015—kasamang nawala sa kanila ang pribilehiyo na makapanuluyan sa pabahay ng Iglesia. Gayunman alang-alang sa simulaing Cristiano at para sa humanitarian considerations, hindi namin sila agad pinaalis doon.
Bilang nakikipanuluyan sa loob ng bakuran na pagmamay-ari ng INC, gumawa pa sila ng mga bagay na isinasapanganib ang seguridad ng naturang INC compound at ang ibang naninirahan malapit doon.
Sa katunayan, namataan sa CCTV na sila’y nagpapapasok ng mga kahina-hinalang kalalakihan. Nakatakip ang mukha kahit dis-oras ng gabi. May bitbit na malalaking bag na sila lang ang nakakaalam kung ano talaga ang laman. Patuloy na namamalagi sa loob ng compound ang mga lalaking minsan may hawak na camera at may bitbit na kung ano sa kanilang mga bag. Tinatanong namin ang publiko—kung ganito ang ginagawa sa inyong bakuran: papayagan ba ninyo na mamalagi ang mga ito na wala kayong ginagawang legal na aksiyon?
Dahil dito, nagsampa ang INC ng injunction case sa korte laban sa kanila noong Setyembre 21, 2015. Naintindihan ng hukuman ang pangangailangan ng seguridad kaya sila mismo ang nag-atas na maglagay ng security ang INC doon for monitoring purposes (September 29, 2015). Sa maraming ulit ay hiniling at ipinakiusap na ibigay nila ang mga pangalan ng mga naroroon. Hanggang nitong huli ay ipinag-utos na ng hukuman sa panig nila G. Angel at Gng. Lottie na magbigay ng listahan ng mga pangalan ng lahat ng kasama nila sa compound. Pero hanggang ngayon hindi nila sinusunod ang court order na ito. Mahigit na tatlong buwan na pong naninirahan sa tabi ng Central Office ang mga kahina-hinalang tao na iyan na hanggang ngayon ay hindi nila pinapangalanan. Hindi lamang sila ang naninirahan at nanunuluyan sa Central Compound—wala bang karapatan ang mga otorisadong naninirahan doon sa kanilang kapanatagan at seguridad (freedom from fear and right to security)?
Isang gabi noong Nobyembre 2015, may isang lalaki ang inilabas ni G. Angel at mga kasama na nalaman na lamang po namin na patay na kinaumagahan. Hanggang ngayon ay malabo pa rin kung ano po nangyari. At ang sisi ay gusto pa nilang ibaling sa Iglesia.
Noong Disyembre 2015, pagkatapos na matuloy ang inspeksiyon ng sheriff batay sa court order, ayaw nilang patingnan ang kabuuan ng lugar at ipinipilit na iyong isang gusali lamang sa bukana ang pwedeng tingnan sa ocular inspection. Sinabi nila na hindi bahagi ng #36 Tandang Sora ang ibang mga gusali at bahay ng dalawang (2) hektaryang compound at inamin na sa Iglesia iyon. Dahil dito, inusog na ang mga temporaryong bakod na yero upang maproteksiyonan ang mas malaking bahagi ng compound ng Iglesia. Dito na rin nabawi ang 39 na sasakyan na pag-aari ng Iglesia na kanilang itinatago ng matagal na panahon. Mayroon pang hinahanap na mahigit na 20 pang sasakyan na nakapangalan sa Iglesia.
Ayaw nilang magbayad ng konsumo nila sa kuryente at gusto pa nilang ang Iglesia pa rin ang magbayad nito para sa kanila. Ang totoo, for humanitarian considerations, hanggang ngayon ang Iglesia pa rin ang nagbabayad ng kanilang konsumo sa tubig.
Nitong mga nakaraang araw, ang mga kasamahan nila sa loob ay inaaway, sinasaktan, pinagsasalitaan ng masama at minumura ang mga security guards sa compound ng Iglesia.
Lahat ng mga ito ay nakapagdulot ng pagka-alarma sa mga kapatid sa Iglesia. Lalong nakararami sa mga kapatid ay nakadarama ng pangamba para sa seguridad hindi lamang ng Central Office ng Iglesia kundi lalo na sa buhay ng aming pinakamamahal na Tagapamahalang Pangkalahatan—ang Kapatid na Eduardo V. Manalo.
Sa harap ng lahat ng pangyayaring ito, kayo na mga nakamasid sa amin, kayo na rin ang makapagpapasiya. Tama bang akusahan ng paglabag sa karapatang pantao ang liderato ng Iglesia ni Cristo?
Sa kabila nito, hindi lamang sila patuloy na gumagawa ng malisyosong paninira kundi nagpa-file ng kung anu-anong kaso.
Sukdulan na ang kanilang mga paninira at pagsisinungaling sa media sa layuning siraan ang Iglesia lalo na ang kasalukuyang Pamamahala. Kaya ngayon gagawin na ng Iglesia ang hakbang na marapat alinsunod sa itinatadhana ng batas.”
(Eagle News Service)
