THE head of the alleged cult in Socorro, Surigao del Norte yesterday faced state prosecutors from the Department of Justice to answer complaints filed against the group for abuses, including sexual abuse of minors.
Jey Rence Quilario, the leader or “Senior Agila’ of the Socorro Bayanihan Services Incorporated (SBSI), and the group’s adviser, former Socorro town mayor Mamerto Galanida, attended the hearing.
Asked what happened during the proceedings, DOJ Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Jose Dominic Clavano said the prosecutors held the hearing to clarify certain issues related to the case.
“They have to get certain facts para maayos ‘yung preliminary investigation ng mga kaso,” Clavano said, adding the complainants also attended the clarificatory hearings.
The preliminary hearing will also be held at the DOJ.
Last June, the National Bureau of Investigation-Caraga Regional Office in Butuan City recommended charging Quilario and several other SBSI officers and members with qualified trafficking under Republic Act No. 9208 (Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003), violation of RA 7610 (Anti-Child Abuse Law), kidnapping, and serious illegal detention.
Earlier, Clavano said the filing of the cases against Quilario and other SBSI officials in the province has encountered obstacles due to the multiple inhibitions of local prosecutors.
He said this is the reason why the DOJ has formed another panel of prosecutors for the conduct of the preliminary investigation.
The proceedings were transferred to Manila.
Last month, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla categorically denied the request of SBSI officers and members to conduct the preliminary investigation of the case lodged against them in Sitio Kapihan, Socorro, Surigao del Norte, saying it is their problem if they do not want to cooperate with the investigation.
DOJ Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty told the Senate in yesterday’s budget hearing that state prosecutors will resolve the case lodged against Quilario and other SBSI officials by next month.
“Our target is to resolve this by mid-November,” Ty told Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.
