SELECTIVE SEPARATION OF CHURCH & STATE IN R.P.
Gonzalez orders: Put evangelist Soriano on watch list First posted
06:07pm (Mla time) Nov 10, 2005 By Tetch Torres
INQ7.net
JUSTICE Secretary Raul Gonzalez has ordered the Bureau of Immigration (BI)
to put "Ang Dating Daan" (The Old Way) leader Eli Soriano on a watch list.
In a one-page memorandum, Gonzalez ordered Immigration Commissioner Alipio Fernandez to put the TV evangelist on the BI's watch list because of a rape complaint filed against him.
Daniel Veridiano, Soriano's former deputy secretary, lodged a rape
complaint before the Pampanga Prosecutor's Office against Soriano.
The Pampanga Prosecutor's Office requested the Department of Justice to put Soriano on its watch list.
Thanks to INQ7 the news was immediately brought to our attention in the Church of God International. Some of us, myself included, thought the news was stale since the latest development we know of the news was that of the liftingof the watchlist order...
Come Friday night on Ang Dating Daan TV program live over UNTV37 the news was independently confirmed bro Eli Soriano himself and Atty. Batas Mauricio. In the face of the blatant irregularity of the situation surrounding the order, this time by "Justice" Secretary Gonzales himself,Atty. Batas, in exasperation, concluded that "Gonzales may have acted on compulsion by a higher official (read: Gloria ) or some entity with a great political influence (read: INC)." In his personal meeting with Gonzales, Batas said the DOJ Secretary never said anything about anyone making a request to him as was claimed in the INQ7 report. Bro Eli asked Batas if Gonzales may initiate the order "moto propio" and Batas said that can't benoting that the law is very specifically states that no one in government can put anyone on the BI's Watchlist or bar anyone from leaving the country with a Hold Departure Order unless there's already a court case. In this case the alleged case of rape lodged againstbro Eli is still in the preliminary investigation stages. What gives?
Remember that Virgillio Garcilliano, after being accussed by the opposition of brutally raping the electoral laws, was able to freely leave the country because the government refused to put him on the Watchlist or initiate a Hold Departure Order on the pretext that there has yet to be a court case against him.
Political observers in the country don't bother to look deeply into the political undercurrents generated from the religious sidelines.If and when they do, they'll be shocked to learn that a minority religious sect is already running government from within.
Calling on PCIJ! Have you already investigated on how many sensitive posts in government have been given as a political payback to certain religious leaders in exchange for block votes? Have you already asked yourselves questions like "who jumped the gun on the impeachment case and what does his religion got to do with his move"?
