An influential group which politicians have courted in the past because its members are known to follow their leaders’ advice and vote as a bloc, the INC is facing its biggest crisis after a dismissed minister filed an illegal detention case with the Justice department that could lead to INC leaders’ arrest.
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“The charges were filed against the entire Sanggunian because they were all present when my client was summoned to an interrogation where he was accused of being the real Antonio Ebangelista, who exposed irregularities in the Iglesia”, Angeles said in a telephone interview. There has been no suspension of work at the department.
INC called de Lima “bias” after accepting the ex-members to the government’s Witness Protection Program (WPP).
Valte said President Benigno Aquino had given instructions to ensure public safety during the protest.
They also blocked a van reportedly carrying De Lima.
It was still not clear when the protest would last, but according to Senior Supt. They know that illegal detention is a serious crime which carries jail time.
One hundred policemen are already securing the stretch of Padre Faura Street, while the number is expected to grow if the crowd continues to increase as well. Another said it’s just their trip, while one participant said, “Si YayaDub talaga pinuntahan namin dito (We really wanted to see YayaDub)”, refering to a popular noontime reality TV character.
INC general evangelist Bienvenido Santiago said that De Lima should focus on the case of the 44 SAF commandos with the same attention she gave to Samson’s case.
Prompted by Samson’s complaint, the protestors had a chant against “Samson and De Lima”, alluding to the biblical story of Samson and Delilah.
The report noted: “Samson and his family claim that they were treated as prisoners in their own house at Tierra Bella, Quezon City for nine days”.
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The source said they don’t expect De Lima to crack under pressure because they know her character, “but we are going to make sure that she will hear clearly what we are going to say”.
