The leader of the so-called Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc. (SBSI) or the Socorro 'cult' Jey Rence Quilario surfaced on Thursday, Sept. 28, denying the allegations being thrown at the group specifically the abuses, forced marriages and rape among its members.

This was despite the presence of three minor witnesses who personally appeared to testify and detail their experiences during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs chaired by Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa. 

The three were all able to escape the clutches of Quilario also known as Senior Agila or "Ginoo" which colloquially means God,  and his men or the so-called "Soldiers of God" with Quilario being referred to as their God.

One of the witnesses, alias "Jane" a 15-year-old escapee of the cult, stated that she was forced to marry an 18-year-old stranger when she was 14 years old. In a ceremony led by Quilario he will wed the two and tell the husband in a marriage counselling session that he has authority to have sexual intercourse or even rape his spouse within three days or else they will face damnation.

Her parents allowed this, stating that under Quilario, this was the law in order to get to heaven.

A former member of Quilario's elite army, Mark Virgil Gelsano supported Jane's claim and stated that even his sister who was only 12 years old was also married. He said he bore witness to these incidents since he was in charge of security during these ceremonies.

Another witness, alias "Renz" who is 12 years old, stated that he escaped from the cult because at the age of 12 he still isn't able to read. One of the accusations against the cult is that they only beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) are allowed to leave the mountain to study. Renz broke down in tears while recalling his experience in the said place.

But Quilario denied this.

"Walang pumipigil sa kanila (No one's stopping them from leaving)," he said.

Alias Coco, on the other hand, stated that he underwent some form of military training at the hands of former police officers. Coco was asked by Sen. Risa Hontiveros regarding the reason why he fled, but he also broke into tears before he could answer the question.

Hontiveros who chairs the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality pointed out that all three of them referred to Quilario as Ginoo or their God.

In his opening statement, Dela Rosa emphasized that the concern here, is that in the guise of beliefs and religion, peace and order in society, the safety and welfare of the people are now allegedly threatened. 
 

"Every person has the right to practice his or her beliefs and religion, it is allowed by the state. But this right does not entitle one to inflict harm over another. This right does not entitle one to violate any law of the Republic," he added.

Hontiveros, said that in the elements comprising a cult based on experts, the SBSI possesses all these, namely excessive control through rigid rules and severe punishments and the suppression of independent thought;  deviant practices that deviate from social norms and laws and a charismatic leader who encourages blind fanaticism.
 

"The cult is the vehicle they use to perpetrate the multiple abuses on the children of SBSI. The cult is the cover to avoid scrutiny, the cult is what they use to provide impunity to its leaders. The cult is what forces community members to look the other way even when abuse and exploitation happen right in front of their eyes," she added.