Alleged ‘Cult’ Leader Denies Allegations Against The Group

An official from the alleged Surigao del Norte “cult” has denied instances of forced child marriage and sexual abuse along with many other allegations thrown against the group.

Mamerto Galanida, vice president for Socorro Bayanihan Services Incorporated (SBSI), told “The Big Story” on One News on Tuesday, Sept. 19, that the group’s youth leader, Jey Rence Quilario, or Senior Agila, lacked any authority to preside over marriages.

“Definitely none. In the first place, Senior Aguila is not authorized. He is not a pastor, he is not a priest, nor a mayor,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

In another interview with “The Source” on CNN Philippines on Wednesday, Sept. 20, Galanida explained that those who married early were not forced to do so.

“Millennials get exposed to social media, so sometimes, they get caught by their parents in a sexual act, so that’s what happens, there are some who were really married early,” Galanida said.

Galanida noted their previous president even discouraged children from marrying early.

Charges of qualified trafficking as well as kidnapping and serious illegal detention will be filed against members of the SBSI who have been accused of rape and forced marriage of children.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros bared the alleged abuses in a privilege speech on Monday, Sept. 18, as she sought an inquiry into the activities of the group.

Hontiveros said the SBSI, which is operating as a civic organization, shows ”cult” behavior.

Raps Filed Versus Surigao Norte ‘Cult’ Members

On The Big Story, Galanida denied the sexual abuse accusations. He claimed they were “fabrications” from Edelito Sangco, the spokesperson of Task Force Kapihan.

Galanida bared Sangco was part of SBSI until 1992, and left after he questioned the group’s leadership and policies. Later on, Sangco’s siblings joined the group, which he disapproved of.

“He hates us…when we went to Sitio Kapihan, Sangco’s two siblings went with us…he wanted them to leave, but they liked it here, and it started like that. He’s a great writer, and can fabricate things just as great,” Galanida said in Filipino.

Galanida said the eight child witnesses were “abducted” by police, and were taught of the “imagined stories” by Sangco. He pointed out a “pattern” in their testimonies, and that their parents should have cried foul first.

Galanida disclosed at least two children were returned to them. One was brought back after their parents filed a writ of habeas corpus while the other came back out of own volition.

Before the current accusations, SBSI was reportedly to be a “socio-civic” organization established after World War 2. By 2017, they started to turn themselves into a cult, according to Sangco.

A certain Karren Sanico and a late municipal trial court judge, tagged in the government’s narco list, were the ones behind the cult, Sangco said.

Feeling the heat of the drug war, Sangco told The Source that Sanico managed to employ some strategies and converted the 5,000-strong SBSI into his human shield.

No ‘messiah’

In an interview with “Sa Totoo Lang” on One PH on Tuesday, Sangco noted an early cult act from SBSI was to “groom” a 17-year-old Quilario to be their leader. On The Source, Sangco added it was Sanico’s idea to turn Quilario into a “reincarnation” of Santo Niño.

Supposedly, Quilario was a spoiled brat and aspiring actor who ran away from home, which gave Sanico the chance to groom him. Sangco added that Galanida was tapped to fully establish the character.

In her privilege speech, Hontiveros said Galanida prepared Quilario’s scripts and taught him how to speak charismatically.

It was through this guise that the cult relocated to the Kapihan mountains, Sangco revealed. As the Santo Niño reincarnate, Quilario told the group that Kapihan was heaven, and those who would not follow would burn in hell following a February 2019 earthquake in Siargao.

But on The Big Story, Galanida stressed Quilario is only their “president.” He said Quilario only assumed the post in July 2021, being handpicked by his predecessor.

“So when we had our general assembly last July 2021, we couldn't do anything. We just simply confirmed the wishes of our former president, that’s why he is now our incumbent president,” he said.

Galanida said Quilario was likely picked for his youth leadership skills, being president of SBSI’s youth sector. “I am now 81 years old. I am now at the sunset of my life…as former superintendent, former mayor, former board member, I do not want to believe in claims such as Quilario as a fake messiah,” he said.

Galanida also denied accusations that the group has a private army and a shabu laboratory.

Through his proposed Resolution No. 796, Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa disclosed a letter from Socorro Mayor Riza Timcang to his office requesting an investigation into a supposed shabu laboratory and an “Agila” private army, among others.

But Galanida called them mere “imaginations.” He said authorities are free to investigate and try to find the shabu laboratory in particular.

“We’re well prepared, no matter what forum that is. If possible, they can even go to Kapihan to interview the parents, residents on what’s really happening,” he said.