A bill proposed by a militant partylist group seeks to crack down on cults due to the rising influence of groups like the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association (PBMA) of fugitive lawmaker Ruben Ecleo Jr.
We haven’t seen the end of the likes of Ecleo judging from last week’s raid of the “villa” of a homegrown cult in Balamban town whose leader, Casiano Apduhan Jr., is called “Dios Amahan” and takes pride in powers of faithhealing and the ability to raise the dead, a legacy from his grandfather, the founder.
Pious faith is one thing.
Criminal activity is another.
The present “dios” has a 50-foot-deep tunnel under his house, where the body of a 14-year-old boy was buried, the son of an erstwhile follower who now considers “Tatay Loloy” a fraud because of a failed promise to resurrect the boy.
It’s an understatement to say the discovery has shocked the community.
According to the boy’s father, who finally went to the authorities, his son was offered as a “sacrifice” under circumstances yet to be unravelled.
Religious cults are not uncommon in the Philippines, where blind faith can turn God-fearing families in hard-up rural communities to willing, submissive pawns of strong authoriy figures who can weave the illusion of divine power.
Ecleo’s warped religion allowed him to marry an underage girl and then order his followers to execute her in Cebu without remorse.He was later charged and convicted, but has since disappeared.
Apduhan doesn’t have as wide a kingdom as Ecleo,whose hold over Dinagat Island marked out the territory as one ruled by his family.
“Tatay Loloy” would have gotten away with murder were it not for the dead boy’s father and other disenchanted group members, who told law enforcers of the underground chambers.
The tricky thing is that no one has testified about actually seeing the cult leader lay a hand on the boy or witnessing his death.
Will more disenchanted members step forward to reveal what happened? Will the Cebu government officials who once lined up to solicit Apduhan’s support in local elections come forward to defend their one-time benefactor?
Cults are often described as groups that exhibit beliefs and practices that are considered deviant from established religions. Its insidious nature is unveiled once its chief architect demands worship from their followers and controls every aspect of their lives.
If there is a bill in Congress outlawing cults, lawmakers should consult with religious communitoes to craft legislation that protect Filipinos from the predators posing as self-styled messiahs.
Everyone has the right to worship but nothing justifies human sacrifice that requires the violent loss of life itself.