Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Former Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) Minister Lowell Menorca II was out on bail on Friday (January 22).
His release order was issued by Judge Silverio Castillo of a Manila court, after paying a bail bond of P20,000 for two libel cases.
He was arrested last Wednesday (January 20) for libel, and has been detained at the Ermita station of the Manila Police District.
According to him, the cases were filed by SCAN International, INC’s disaster response group. He explained that the group took offense of his statement before over the group’s involvement in illegal activities.
But he clarified that he was merely referring to certain members of the SCAN, and not the whole organization. “In any organization, there would be one or two or fraction who unfortunately will be used to commit wrongdoing,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.
“It was taken out of context,” he added, explaining that they used it as a springboard to file numerous cases against him.
Second libel case
Another warrant of arrest for libel was issued against Menorca on Thursday (January 21).
Menorca is convinced that INC officials are behind the cases against him. On the day of his arrest, the former minister of the religious group was set to appeal before the Court of Appeals for the hearing of his petition for writs of habeas corpus and Amparo.
He filed the petitions after the alleged illegal detention of him and his family for at least three months by INC officials at the religious group’s main compound in Quezon City.
During the alleged illegal detention, Menorca also claimed that he was tortured, threatened, and interrogated, due to suspicions that he created a blog under the pseudonym “Antonio Ebangelista,” which exposed supposed corruption in the INC.
The INC, however, denied that it’s behind the arrests. It argued that it was also surprised when news broke about it.
“It was not us, not the Iglesia ni Cristo which served the warrant. It was served by the police,” INC spokesperson Edwil Zabala said.
Menorca’s camp argued that the policemen who arrested him did not present a warrant of arrest prior to the detention.
However, the police claimed the document was taken from them by Menorca’s wife, who, according to them, ran away and rode a separate car taking the warrant with her.
CNN Philippines’ AC Nicholls contributed to this report.
