Chiz: Palace has obligation to explain Iglesia ni Cristo meeting

Malacañang has an obligation to explain to the people what happened during the meeting between its officials and the Iglesia ni Cristo, which prompted the religious group to end its protest action in EDSA on Monday.

 

"Ang may obligasyon magpaliwanag sa taumbayan ay [ang] pamahalaan dahil elected kami at naninilbihan kami sa taumbayan," Sen. Francis Escudero told reporters on Tuesday.

 

Escudero said that Malacañang should also clarify if there was an agreement reached during the meeting with Iglesia ni Cristo.

 

“Bago pag-usapan yun, magkasundo muna sila kung may agreement ba o wala, dahil sabi ng Palasyo walang agreement pero sabi ng INC may mutual understanding daw. So dapat maliwanag muna yun kung meron ba o wala bago natin hilingin yung detalye,” the senator added.

 

The Iglesia ni Cristo leadership on Monday morning told their members that they were ending their five-day protest action after their meeting with the government.

 

Iglesia ni Cristo general evangelist Bienvenido Santiago, who made the announcement, did not mention details of the meeting.

 

"Nagkausap na po ang panig ng Iglesia ni Cristo at panig ng pamahalaan at sa pag-uusap na ito ay nagkapaliwanagan na po ang magkabilang panig," Santiago said.

 

Malacañang has denied that there was an agreement reached with the Iglesia ni Cristo, but has yet to provide what was actually discussed during the meeting.

 

The camp of expelled Iglesia ni Cristo minister Isaias Samson Jr. feared that the criminal complaint they filed against the group's officials will be dismissed as a result of the meeting.

 

President Aquino convened his Cabinet at Bahay Pangarap as 20,000 members of the Iglesia ni Cristo gathered in EDSA on Sunday night.

 

Iglesia ni Cristo held an overnight vigil in front of the Department of Justice's (DOJ) compound in Manila starting Thursday last week.

 

The group transferred to EDSA on Friday and ended the protest action on Monday morning.

 

Meanwhile, Escudero said that the administration should have initiated the dialogue with the Iglesia ni Cristo sooner to prevent the group's protest action from dragging on for days.

 

“Hindi ko alam dahil wala naman akong nakitang handling na nagawa, hanggang lately na lamang, so depende kung paano ninyo titignan yun,” Escudero said.

 

He added that Justice Secretary Leila de Lima should have explained her side to the church organization.

 

“Siya (De Lima) dapat ang magpaliwanag kaugnay sa bagay na 'yan pero kung may pagkakataon siguro sa mas maagang panahon na magkaroon ng dayalogo, dapat nagawa na rin yun at hindi na hinayaang tumagal nang ilang araw pa,” he said.

 

Escudero cited as an example the issue of the Bureau of Customs' planned implementation of a random manual inspection on balikbayan boxes as part of its efforts to curve technical smuggling.

 

“Kung sa kaso ni (Customs Commissioner Alberto) Lina, inutusan siya ng Pangulo na makipag-usap at magpaliwanag. Siguro lahat ng opisyal maging bukas palagi sa dayalogo sa maski na anong grupong may kwestiyon o sinong indibidwal ang may tanong at nanghihingi ng paliwanag,” he said.

 

Policy in accepting complaints

 

Escudero, meanwhile, urged De Lima to clarify the Department of Justice's policy in accepting complaints to prevent an incident similar to the protest action of the Iglesia ni Cristo.

 

He said those facing complaints before the DOJ panel have limited options if ever they face an adverse ruling.

 

“Malabo ang rule ng DOJ kung kailan ba dapat simulan ang kaso sa piskalya, kelan ba dapat simulan ang kaso sa DOJ level mismo. Effectively, nababawasan ng isang remedy o pwedeng apilahan ang isang agrabyado ng ruling o desisyon [kapag nagsimula sa DOJ panel agad],” he said.

 

The Iglesia ni Cristo members protested the DOJ's handling of the criminal complaint filed by Samson.

 

Escudero said that aside from the case of Samson, lawyers of alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Napoles and businessman Cedric Lee, a respondent in the mauling of TV host Vhong Navarro, also questioned the DOJ's move to receive criminal complaints.

 

“Inireklamo din ng abugado ng respondents ang DOJ dahil ang sabi nila nadeprive kami ng initial level ng pag-iimbestiga sa lebel ng piskalyaat ng city o municipal prosecutor,” he said.

 

“So siguro dapat liwanagin yun ng DOJ kung kailan dapat at pwedeng gawin yun at kelan hindi, again, to remove and minimize areas of discretion that may or can be questioned by any aggrieved party,” Escudero explained. —ALG, GMA News