Menorca ‘rescued,’ claims abduction by Iglesia ni Cristo leaders

Lowell Menorca, the minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo who was allegedly detained together with his family in a church compound, has been "rescued", a lawyer for his family said on Friday.

Lawyer Trixie Cruz-Angeles revealed the development in a Facebook post.

"After several months, Lowell Menorca and his family have been rescued. The case for the issuance of the writ of amparo before the Supreme Court en banc, will proceed," Angeles said.

Menorca's brother Anthony on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to issue writs of amparo and habeas corpus against Iglesia ni Cristo leaders, including its executive minister Eduardo Manalo, Rodel Cortez, Bienvenido Santiago and Rolando Esguerra.

GMA News Online is still trying to get a comment from the Iglesia ni Cristo leaders as of posting time.

The petition alleged that Menorca and his family have been kept against their will inside a church compound.

Angeles shared with GMA News Online the link to Menorca's video, in which he claimed that he and his family were detained at the central compound of the Iglesia Ni Cristo in Quezon City.

A writ of amparo is a remedy available to any person whose right to life, liberty, and security is violated or threatened with violation by an unlawful act or omission.

A habeas corpus plea, meanwhile, is a legal action that gives a person the right to seek relief from unlawful detention. It serves as an instrument for safeguarding individual freedoms.



In the video, Menorca said he and his family were taken to the Iglesia ni Cristo central compound in late July.

"Nais ko pong ipaalam sa inyo mga kapatid na simula noong July 25 hanggang October 21, kami po ay illegally detained sa central compound ng Iglesia Ni Cristo. Hindi po namin kailanman hiniling sa pamamahala na bigyan kami ng pabahay doon," Menorca said.

"Ginamit nila ang pagkakataong iyon na alisin ako sa kulungan at ilagay ako sa isang controlled environment na kung saan maari nila akong puntahan, kausapin, i-interrogate, at makuha nila ang mga impormasyong gusto nilang makuha mula sa akin patungkol sa panulat ni Antonio Ebanghelista," he added.

Ebanghelista was behind a controversial blog detailing alleged wrongdoing by some Iglesia ni Cristo leaders.

Church in crisis

In July, Manalo's mother Ka Tenny and brother Angel came out with a video tearfully asking for help, indicating that they and their family was in danger.

The Iglesia ni Cristo leadership will later reveal that Tenny and Angel have been expelled from the religious group.

Menorca was the Iglesia ni Cristo minister who was reportedly abducted in Sorsogon in late July, or around the time when the crisis inside the religious organization was brewing.

He was later found at a Cavite jail after supposedly being arrested for alleged illegal use of a grenade.

In a July 29 interview, he denied the abduction accusations made by his brother.

He is now claiming that his release from incarceration was just for show.

"Marahil nakita n'yo na po akong magsalita sa isang interview sa Net25. Sa pagkakataon pong ito, gusto ko pong sabihin na iyon po ay scripted," Menorca said.

He said he was briefed by Iglesia ni Cristo leaders on how to respond to the questions before he faced the camera.

"Lahat po ng narinig n'yo sa interview na iyon at iba pang mga interview, lahat po iyon ay scripted. Ako po ay nagsalita dahil sa iyon ang pinasabi nila sa akin sapagkat nanganganib po ako para sa aming kapakananan, sa kapakanan po na aming kasambahayan," he said.

Menorca added that he was already prepared to follow top officials of the Iglesia Ni Cristo and let the issue die down. However, the group wouldn't stop harassing other members.

"Ito po ang dahilan na nagkusa na ako para ihayag ang katotohanan," he said.

He added that he is ready to be evicted from the group although it is a big blow to their family.

"Nakahanda kaming tanggapin ito alang-alang sa paninindigan," he added. "Sana mga kapatid lahat tayo manindigan sa totoo. Wala tayong dapat ikatakot lalo nga kung totoo ang ating sinasabi." —Trisha Macas/NB/JST, GMA News