Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel (left), Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas (Rep. Manuel's office, Facebook)

Makabayan bloc members Gabriela Party-list and Kabataan Party-list condemned the Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc. (SBSI), otherwise known as the Socorro "cult", over child marriage and rape allegations.

Gabriela underscored the need for a thorough investigation, especially as it involves people in secluded areas in the country.

“Matindi ang pag brainwash sa kanila na maging katanggap-tanggap ‘yung pag-force sa mga bata sa ganitong pakikipagtalik at saka pagkasal ng minors pa lamang sila,” said Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas.

(They have been brainwashed to make it seem acceptable to force children into sexual acts and marry them despite being minors.)

Meanwhile, Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel said all cult or cult-like organizations need to be abolished, especially those that force children to undergo abuses.

Brosas said that the Socorro cult case was a reflection of the dire state of education among the youth and families in far-flung areas.