Boy buried by own father in tunnel

Crusade Against Violence observes the case against cult leader Casiano Apduhan before the sala of Judge Hermes Montero in Toledo City. (CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)

Suspected cult leader Casiano “Tatay Loloy” Apduhan Jr. claimed that the 14-year-old boy whose remains were found in a 50-foot deep tunnel under his house in Balamban town was already suffering from an undiagnosed illness before his death.

Apduhan, through his lawyer Danilo Yap, also said it was the boy’s father, Eleuterio Repuela who buried young Angelo there, believing that “Tatay Loloy” could bring his son back to life.

Apduhan filed a counter-affidavit to assert he was innocent of complaints for murder, child abuse and human trafficking filed against him at the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

Apduhan denied having abused or killed the boy Angelo.

He said Angelo’s family lived with him in barangay Buanoy in Balamban town, western Cebu and that the boy’s parents were uncertain as to how their son died.

Apduhan’s driver, Victor Fajardo and aide, Zacarias Barquio also denied killing the boy, saying it was Angelo’s father Eleuterio who buried him underneath Apduhan’s home.

Skinny-thin

“The mother Remegia Repuela merely stated that her son died without elaborating categorically the cause of his death, neither did she categorically stated where her son was intentionally killed or how he was killed and by whom or of what instrument or weapon he was deliberately killed,” Apduhan said.

Based on her sworn statement, Remegia admitted that she was not aware what caused her son’s death and that she only saw blood near the boy’s neck.

Fajardo and Barquio were the last people seen with Angelo before the boy’s death.

Apduhan said the boy was brought to his residence with an “undiagnosed illness, and a swollen right cheek.

He said the boy looked “skinny-thin, pale and sickly.”

Apduhan said the Repuelas entrusted their son to him, hoping that he could cure him of his ailment.

While living with them, he said the Repuelas shared their food and provisions and performed some household chores.

He said the Repuelas believed in his mother whom they called “Aman Apduhan.” After her death, they called him “Dios Amahan.”

Apduhan said the Repuelas did routine chores at home.

He said they were not trafficked or abused for any occupational calling. But the family joined us voluntarily in the service of faith and religious belief for salvation in the after life,” he said.

Fajardo and Barquio said Apduhan was in Negros Oriental when Angelo died in his mother’s care.
Probable cause

They said Eleuterio believed that Apduhan would raise his son back to life. They pointed to Remegia’s affidavit which stated that she didn’t know how her son died because she was cooking dinner at the time.

If the Cebu Provincial Prosecutors’ Office will find probable cause against the respondents, the charges will be elevated to court for a full-blown trial.

Otherwise, the case will be dismissed.

Apduhan is also facing charges of serious illegal detention and illegal possession of firearms before the Regional Trial Court in Toledo City.

Psychological condition

He was accused of illegally detaining a woman inside his home for five years. However, Emma Nepomuceno told the court that she was not a victim and that it was her choice to live with the family of the faith healer.

The prosecution presented a psychologist to show that Nepomuceno is suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, a psychological condition in which a victim sympathizes with his or her captor over time.

Executive Judge Hermes Montero of the Toledo City RTC is set to rule on whether to release Apduhan from detention. / with intern Gerianne Faith B. Rizon