Gabriela condemns 'heinous crimes' committed by Socorro group
By Sonny Daanoy
At A Glance
- These harrowing acts of rape, forced marriage, child labor, and exploitation are nothing short of crimes against humanity, systematically committed in the island community of Socorro.
- One of the victims shared that their [her] sister, age 12, became pregnant twice, miscarrying both times and being pushed to the brink of death on her second miscarriage.
- The exposé further underscores the urgent need for the government to tackle poverty and allocate more funding for services that can assist women and young girls who fall victim to similar crimes
Women's group Gabriela on Friday, Sept. 29 denounced the "heinous crimes against humanity" allegedly committed by members of the Socorro Bayanihan Services Incorporated (SBSI) in Surigao del Norte or the so-called Socorro "cult."
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"These harrowing acts of rape, forced marriage, child labor, and exploitation are nothing short of crimes against humanity, systematically committed in the island community of Socorro through Quilario’s (Jey Rence Quilario) SBSI cult," Gabriela secretary-general Clarice Palce said in a statement.
"We call for a swift and impartial investigation to surface the full extent of the atrocities committed by Quilario and the rest of his ilk at the SBSI, and for justice to be served for all victims,” she added.
The SBSI, led by their president Quilario, who is also known as “Señor Agila,” has recently been cited in contempt of court and facing complaints related to serious offenses, including human trafficking, kidnapping, serious illegal detention, child marriage, child abuse, and exploitation.
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Palce shared the gripping testimony of the SBSI’s victims, revealing that girls as young as 12 years old were coerced into marriages with men who were 18 years old and older in Sitio Kapihan—the location where SBSI operates.
"Their husbands were chosen by Mr. Quilario’s accomplices and were approved by Quilario himself, after which the men were ‘authorized’ by Senior Agila to rape their underage wives," Palce said.
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https://mb.com.ph/2023/9/28/socorro-cult-minor-victims-have-no-reason-to-lie-dela-rosa
The secretary-general added that some child bride victims were reportedly summarily raped by Quilario, who told them that they must sleep with him to be ‘saved on the day of judgment.'
"One of the victims shared that their [her] sister, age 12, became pregnant twice, miscarrying both times and being pushed to the brink of death on her second miscarriage,” she said.
Meanwhile, aside from the aforementioned charges, other allegations against SBSI have come to light.
These include accusations of Quilario forcing his followers to enroll in government programs like the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) to take a portion for his own treasury.
Furthermore, it has been reported that minors were subjected to child labor and extreme military training with the aim of eventually integrating them into “Agilas,” which is Quilario's private army.
Moreover, Palce said the exposé further underscores the urgent need for the government to tackle poverty and allocate more funding for services that can assist women and young girls who fall victim to similar crimes.
"Out of desperation and lack of meaningful support amid crisis, many families are driven into false promises and are unable to escape nor report those who exploit their desperation, as in the case of the victims of the SBSI cult,” Palce said.