Socorro group allegedly collecting 50% of members' income, ayuda —member, DSWD

The Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc. (SBSI) was allegedly requiring its members to give around 50% of their income and government aid to the group, a fisherman and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said on Tuesday.

During the hearing of the Senate committees on public order and dangerous drugs and on women, children, family relations and gender equality, SBSI member Randolf Balbarino said their treasurer was reminding them about the collection every week.

“Pagkita ng P1,000, kuhanan mo ng konsumo na P200. May P800 na tira. Iyon ang hahatiin, P400 sa ministry….Required talaga,” Balbarino said.

(If we earned P1,000, we will set aside P200 for the expenses for fishing. P800 will be left. It will be split, P400 for the ministry. It is really required.)

“Tapos sinasabi ng treasurer, bakit hindi tayo magbigay na ang Panginoon na ang naghingi sa atin. Sa kaniya naman lahat iyong mga bagay na nasa atin,” he added.

(The treasurer was saying, ‘Why won’t we give the amount if it is the Lord who is asking us. All the things that we have belong to him’.)

If the members fail to remit the money, Balbarino said they will face punishment like they will be “restricted,” stationed at the fox hole, and prohibited from fishing.

Social Welfare and Development Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said that after the onslaught of Tropical Cyclone Odette in 2021, the treasurer allegedly collected P6,000 of the P10,000 aid received by each member.

“Nakatanggap ang member ng P10,000 bawat bahay. Ang narinig ko, may nagbigay ng P6,000. Parang may nakuha na P10,000 pero P6,000 ang binigay,” Dumlao said.

(From what I have heard, each household received P10,000 and they gave P6,000.)

With 900 households in the area, Senator Francis Tolentino estimated that around P4.5 million have been collected from the ayuda of the members.

SBSI president Jey Rence Quilario alias Senior Agila and vice president Mamerto Galanida denied the accusations.

“Hindi po totoo. Wala pong nangyaring ganiyan (It is not true. Nothing like that was happening),” Quilario said.

For his part, Galanida said, “Hindi naman ako kaparte ng mga fishermen. Hindi ko alam kung anong conditions nila (I am not a part of the fishermen. I don’t know their conditions).”

After the hearing, Quilario and 12 other SBSI members were arrested over alleged human trafficking.

The issue first came to light after Senator Risa Hontiveros alleged in September that more than 1,000 minors were sexually abused by a religious “cult” in Socorro town, Surigao del Norte.

Prosecutors on Monday filed charges against Socorro leader Quilario and 12 others before a Surigao del Norte Regional Trial Court (RTC).

According to the Department of Justice, qualified trafficking in persons, facilitation of child marriage, solemnization of child marriage, and child abuse charges were filed before the Dapa RTC Branch 31.

Sought for comment, Atty. Hillary Olga Reserva, legal counsel of the respondents, said they have yet to receive a copy of the complaint.

“Regardless if there is, my clients will face the charges in court and will avail all the legal remedies they are afforded by [the] Constitution and the rules of court,” she said.—AOL, GMA Integrated News