CIDG ready should Iglesia ni Cristo crisis spiral out of control

LEADER’S BROTHER. Angel Manalo hits “corruption” within the Iglesia ni Cristo as he addresses reporters on July 24, 2015.

“I’m appealing to our brethren in the church to help us because there is a threat to our very lives”.

“Angel Manalo’s statement and that of his mother, which came out last night on YouTube, where they called on the members of the Iglesia to help them because their lives were allegedly in danger and that there were ministers who were abducted, insinuating that the Iglesia has something to do with it, there’s no truth to that”, he said.

When asked about the sign on the window asking for help, Pagdilao said he didn’t believe the claims that a child wrote it.

Eduardo is the first child of the late INC executive minister Eraño Manalo with Cristina “Tenny” Villanueva. “Let us also help the ministers who were taken and until now, have not yet been found. Let us show mercy to them and their families”, said Tenny. The author also alleged that some are being tortured in police camps and their families prevented from speaking about their expulsion from the religious group.

She claimed that some INC ministers have been abducted and are still missing.

Meanwhile, Iglesia ni Cristo announced on Thursday that they will expel Tenny Manalo Angel Manalo after appearing on the said controversial video.

The crisis situation at the INC started early Thursday morning after Angel, a grandson of INC founder Felix Manalo and son of the late INC leader “Ka Erdy” Manalo, made a plaintive call for help from the “Kapatid” or church members.

Her voice quivering, Tenny appealed to her eldest son: “And to my son Eduardo, I hope to talk to you”.

In an interview with reporters, Angel also denied he was abducted.

Santiago added that they see the video as an attempt by a faction in the Manalo family to get sympathy from the church members, but the real objective is to meddle in the management of the church.

Pagdilao said the QCPD deployed police operatives outside the residence of the Manalos to maintain the peace and order in the area.

He said Eduardo Manalo, the current head, will not allow anyone to disrupt Iglesia.

Samson explained, “INC people have been trained to obey and follow the word of God, and if ever a member of the INC has committed an error or mistake, the immediate thing to do is to repent, change his way of life”.

The supporters said that Angel and Tenny have not left the house since June.

He said Manalo’s family were detained because of supposed family rivalry and “revenge”. He is the younger brother of Eduardo, who took over the INC leadership after Eraño’s death. INC was established by the current executive minister’s grandfather Felix Manalo in 1914. The images showed a signs, held by an unseen person, one of them reading: “Tulong hostage kami [Help we’re being held hostage]”.

When asked if he was held hostage, he said, “Hindi ko po sinabi”.

The blog, titled “Iglesia ni Cristo – Silent No More” by a certain Antonio Ramirez Ebanglista, has claimed that at least nine ministers, workers or members of the church have been suspected of helping him run the blog. Manalo 100 years ago in Manila is being shaken by allegation of corruption following the disclosure by some members of the church. “Joel Pagdilao is handling the case of INC properly and they are following the right process”, Magalong said. There are many acts of corruption in the Church.

Newly appointed Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ricardo Marquez was dragged yesterday into the controversy in the INC.