More child victims, former and incumbent members of the Socorro Bayanihan Services, Inc. (SBSI) are now “communicating” with the Senate with the intention of testifying against the leaders of the alleged cult.
SBSI president Jey Rence Quilario, who is also known as 'Senior Agila,' during the Senate hearing on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023. (Photo courtesy of Senate of the Philippines)
Sen. Risa Hontiveros, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, said this was after the joint Senate Committee inquiry on SBSI’s alleged rape, forced marriages, sexual violence, child abuse last Thursday, September 26, was brought out into the open within the Socorro community.
“Pagkatapos ng pagdinig na iyon, nabalita po namin ay ni-livestream doon mismo sa Socorro, pinanood ng mga kababayan nila doon. May mga nagko-communicate na rin na gusto na rin po nilang mag-testigo (After that hearing, we heard that it was livestreamed right there in Socorro, watched by the constituents there. There are those who are now communicating that they also want to testify),” Hontiveros said in an interview on Radio DZBB.
Accordingly, the three minors whom Jey Rence Quilario, or “Senior Agila” wanted to present as their own witnesses, are now under the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
These three witnesses, the senator said, need to undergo social preparation by the DSWD. The Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) has also expressed readiness to take the children under protective custody.
“So pati po yung tatlo pong sino-social preparation pa ng DSWD ay nasa protective custody na rin po ng DSWD (So the three who are undergoing social preparation by the DSWD is now under the protective custody of the DSWD),” she said.
“In fact, mayroon na rin po kaming kopya ng formal letter ng municipal DSWD ng Socorro, Surigao del Norte na talagang isinasapormal na hindi lamang yung unang anim na aming kinupkop kasama ni Mayor Riza Timcang at ng municipal DSWD, kundi pati yung tatlo (we have also received a copy of the formal letter of the municipal DSWD of Socorro, Surigao del Norte formalizing the turnover not only of the first six minors protected by the DSWD together with Mayor Riza Timcang but also the three additional witnesses),” she said.
“So lahat-lahat siyam na menor de edad ay nasa protective custody na po ng DSWD national bilang bahagi ng IACAT. So yan po yung magandang bagong development (So all in all we have nine (9) minors who are now under the protective custody of the DSWD national and the IACAT,” she said.
Quilario, three other leaders of the alleged cult, Mamerto Galanida, a three-term Soccor mayor and former board member, Janeth Ajoc and Karren Sanico were cited in contempt by the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs chaired by Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa. They are now detained at the Senate premises.
All four of them denied that child marriages took place in Sitio Kapihan, Socorro.
Hontiveros said she is glad that public order panel remained firm on the need to put the children under the protective custody of the government.
Victim-survivors had testified that “Senior Agila” was regarded as their “savior” and “God” and facilitated the forced marriages among children of the members. According to them, they could not disobey him out of fear they could not “enter heaven.” Those who refuse to engage in sexual intercourse with their husbands were left outside the community gate at night.
Some parents were also forcibly separated with one parent being forced to marry another member. Some young male children also testified they were forced to endure harsh military training by the religious group.
Hontiveros also said they are now hoping that the four adults who also signified their willingness to testify in favor of the cult leader, will now retract their statements and will testify together with their children against the leaders of the cult.
Some of the members have also reportedly escaped from the Kapihan and have found the courage to speak out against the abuses perpetrated by Quilario.
“So nakikita po natin na pagkatapos ng unang pagdinig papunta sa susunod ay patuloy na kumikilos ang iba’t-ibang mga departamento para proteksyunan. Una, bigyan ng hustisya itong mga batang nilabag ang karapatan; singilin ng accountability ng mga mapapatunayang may sala; at wakasan yung ganitong mga paglabag sa ilalim sa pagtago sa isang kulto (So we see that after the first hearing to the next one, the various departments continue to act for their protection. First, give justice to these children whose rights have been violated; charge accountability of those found guilty; and end such violations under the cover of a cult),” she stressed.