Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 25) — Two government officials on Monday rejected the call of Socorro Bayanihan Service, Inc. (SBSI) to hold the investigation on alleged crimes committed by some of its leaders in their community in the mountains of Socorro, Surigao del Norte.
On Sunday, local police met with SBSI head Jey Rence Quilario to deliver the Senate notice asking some of the organization’s leaders and members to attend the upper chamber’s hearings on alleged child abuses committed by the group. This was not welcomed by the SBSI, which said the investigations by the Senate and the Department of Justice (DOJ) should be held in their area.
Speaking to CNN Philippines’ The Source, DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said that request is a “Big no, it will not happen.” He noted the department can only send people there to check the scene but investigation itself will not be conducted.
“The reason why we are stepping into the picture is because the people there are unable to function properly due to several threats, intimidation, and other things that are happening there,” Remulla explained.
He said lack of funds should not be a reason for them to not attend the hearings and cooperate with authorities. The DOJ will be willing to shoulder the expenses just to bring the respondents to Metro Manila for the proceedings, he added.
Senator Risa Hontiveros said in a recorded statement that the main issues in this case are child sexual abuse and disregard of women’s and families’ rights. The important voice here is of the survivors, she added.
“Si Jey Rence ay pinatawag kaya s’ya ang dapat pumunta sa Senado gaya ng iba din na pinatawag namin sa Senado para harapin ang mga lehitimong isyu,” the senator said.
[Translation: Jey Rence was summoned to go to the Senate just like the others who were summoned by the Senate to face legitimate issues.]
Remulla said preliminary investigation will begin once the DOJ receives the transmittal documents from the provincial prosecutor. A panel of prosecutors will be formed after for the evaluation of complaints, he added.
“This has been going on for a long time kaya kung pwedeng maawat natin lahat ng pangyayaring ‘yan in the fastest possible time dapat awatin na natin kasi June finile na ‘yung kaso at walang nangyayari so far, talagang delayed na delayed na ‘yan,” the justice secretary said.
[Translation: This has been going on for a long time so if all these can be stopped in the fastest possible time we should stop it because the case was filed in June and so far there are no developments, this is really delayed.]
