Re-post: Philippine Court of Appeals Strikes out Lowell Menorca II’s Raps vs INC

– February 9, 2016 – 9:00am

MANILA, Philippines – The Court of Appeals has ordered that allegations against Iglesia Ni Cristo leaders be stricken out of expelled minister Lowell Menorca II’s testimony in the writ of amparo case he filed against his former congregation.

Menorca’s allegations were “speculative, conjectural, argumentative, non-assertive of truth, have no relevance to the issues to be resolved… or opinions inadmissible as evidence,” the CA’s Seventh Division said in its ruling.

In a 42-page resolution penned by Associate Justice Victoria Isabela Paredes, the CA granted the plea in the opposition filed by INC Sanggunian or Council members Radel Cortez, Bienvenido Santiago and Rolando Esguerra  questioning entries in Menorca’s 53-page judicial affidavit.

Lowell R. Menorca II, in the middle of numerous libel, possession of grenade, adultery lawsuits, fled to Canada in March 2016 and sought Refugee Protection Status

The court specifically deleted the statement of the former minister that some of the respondents were “threatening us that the Church administration will not let us live once we get implicated with Antonio Ebanghelista,” referring to the fictitious blogger who publicly hurled allegations of anomalies against the INC leadership.

The CA has also stricken out Menorca’s statement pertaining to Manalo: “Bro. Mabasa talked to us inside our house and told us that the decision given by Bro. Eduardo Manalo was to give us another chance.”

Another piece of hearsay, the CA ruled, was Menorca’s claim that an INC official  told him that the same people who can send him to jail are the same ones who can make him disappear.

Associate Justices Magdangal de Leon and Elihu Ybanez concurred in this ruling promulgated last Jan. 13 but released only yesterday.

The respondents, through lawyer Patricia-Ann Prodigalidad, sought the deletion of the entries in Menorca’s affidavit in earlier hearings.

The CA justices have already approved the deletion of some of Menorca’ s statements, including his claim that he was “forcibly taken upon orders of the INC.” They said he “has no authority and personal knowledge” to make the claim.

The CA will continue its hearing on the amparo case on Feb.15. Menorca is expected to take the witness stand to detail his claims of abduction, harassment and illegal detention.

He was supposed to testify on Jan. 20, but was arrested on his way to the hearing over a libel case. 

Reference:


Punay, E. (2016, February 09). CA strikes out ex-minister’s raps vs INC. PhilStar Global. Retrieved December 17, 2020, from https://www.philstar.com/metro/2016/02/09/1551523/ca-strikes-out-ex-ministers-raps-vs-inc

Uncategorized

CBC Fifth Estate has created perception and prejudice against the INC

“A total hogwash”,  critics said about the CBC program.

cbcfilthestateisahogwash

CBC Fifth Estate’s odd documentary on “Church of Secrets” once again highlighted their standard practice of sensationalizing news.

Their video clips were taken out of context; some were cut and dried from fake news outlets like Rappler and some dummy news outlets on Facebook.

They may have gained traction on the number of viewership–assisted, wheeled and peddled by the anti-INC propagandists. The only fact is that they are REGURGITATED FAKE news. 

It’s not certain yet of the CBC ratings, but based on the mainstream media, most of their programs were failing ratings. Until they have shown the “Church of Secrets”.

CBC’s The National and CBCInvestigates were too tempted on the prospective viewership and inserted the teaser-trailer with a much-publicized caption of “murder, kidnapping, and financial wrongdoing” on their programs.

How do they push their stories forward? 

First, they make allegations, even though no evidence whatsoever to make such an outlandish statement. Next, they IMPLY with repeated questions. The goal was to raise doubts.

Typical smear job.

cbcexposed

…particularly concerned with the CBC’s insidious slanting of news, their innuendos about people who do not fit their particular profile of what they deem acceptable, their non-reportage of the ridiculous quotes and ideas put forth by their pet people. 
 …sadly, [they] are intellectually lazy, and almost all accept the outright lies..

Yup! Above online comments may be from 2012 and 2013 national news on what CBC had been doing. The fact is: they haven’t learned. 

***************

How many times did Bob McKeown mention the words “murder, kidnapping, and financial wrongdoing”?***     

Mr. Bob McKeown was videotaped saying, “We look forward to having theINC debunked!”…”Because we have been speaking to people, whose lives have been threatened by the church… husband killed by church…” and “I did not say Manalo killed anybody…What I did say is that the church is alleged to have been associated. People have told us, people say there were victims. They told us that the church is associated with the kidnapping murders and systemic corruption. Skimming from collections, smuggling money…”

He was the one bullying the Filipinos at the parking lot of the Golden Arena in Sacramento, and not the one intimidated by the presence of the ‘small guys” who stopped CBC in getting an ambush interview with the Church Leader.

CBC has already received the cease and desist order– days before Timothy Sawa attempted an ambush interview in Toronto in September 2018.

Timothy Sawa and his crew were already anticipating the unwelcoming crowd. So, they filmed it, recorded the conversations, then manipulated their video and played like they are the heroic journalists.

Their news sources: Menorca, Dizon, De Ocampo, Canono, et al were expelled members of the Church, so-called dissidents.  

There was no secret whatsoever that happened inside the Toronto chapel. It was a sacred gathering, a traditional worship service with the choir singing, homily, and prayers.   

Outside of the chapel, while the volunteers and a few paid-security staff were protecting the solemnity of the event, CBC Sawa made a litany of “alleged murder, kidnapping, and financial wrongdoing”.

It’s arrogance at its worst.

Here are the legal notes and comments on the CBC-FifthEstate’s program, “Church of Secrets” which, in part, will form the basis of the lawsuit against CBC, Sawa, McKeown, Menorca, Dizon and Liz De Ocampo:

1. The allegations against INC of kidnapping, murder and financial corruption are based on rumour, innuendo, gossip and speculation. The innuendo is very strong and severe. 

2. The allegations are not supported by any evidence and are uncorroborated. 

3. The allegations are not only untrue but are scandalous and vague. 

4. CBC and its journalists on this matter think they are above the law. They and the show portrayed arrogance. 

5. CBC complained about the program about being harassed by members of the church when it was, in fact, the other way around: they were harassing members of the church. 

6. CBC did not give the church an opportunity to present their side of the story despite several requests by us to do so. 

7. Our offer to produce a senior member of the church as a spokesperson was rejected by CBC. 

8. Calling the church the “Church of Secrets” was not supported by any evidence. 

9. McKeown referred to “sources” in a vague way without saying who they were, where they were or when they spoke to them. 

10. McKeown also said “people,” told them certain things but, again in a vague way without saying who, where or when. 

11. The Iglesia Ni Cristo has been defamed by baseless innuendo, gossip and speculation and should be sued along with the others listed above.

CBC reports should have been more mindful of how stories are framed. CBC reporters should also be mindful of the divisive and controversial intents of Lowell Menorca and his group.

Based on the aforementioned, CBC programs have demonstrated the intent to cause offence or instigate hatred against a group based on religion. Members of the press should and must have a duty to maintain the highest professional and ethical standards.

Theirs was a big neglect.

Since January 25, 2018, when Mr. Eric Rankin published his story about Lowell Menorca II, quoting the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) of Canada, that the “Philippines-based church has ‘means and motivation’ to kill refugee if returned”, CBC has already formed their predetermined opinions prior to gathering the facts of a story.  

Given the perception of bias and prejudice within CBC, there is no guarantee that divergent views will be reflected by Rankin, Sawa, McKeown, Swain and their crew.

They should be ashamed of themselves.

 

***My apologies, I have repeated these words too many times for the purpose of desensitization– to diminish readers’ emotional responsiveness to negative, aversive, and false allegations.

 

NOW, let’s share this with everyone else with the same media template and hashtags that incsilentnomore is using:  

#antonioebangelista, 

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#fifthestate, #bobmckeown

… and with my favorite #cbcExposed

The Welkin Rings