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Angel Manalo is appealing to Eduardo, his older brother and executive minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), to grant their mother’s request for a personal meeting.
Angel and his mother Cristina “Tenny” Manalo, the widow of INC’s former executive minister Eraño “Erdy” Manalo, were expelled from the group for allegedly sowing disharmony among members.
Angel said they can only resolve the crisis within the family and the religious institution if Eduardo talks to them face-to-face.
DONATION ISSUE
Angel also named members of the group he claimed to be behind the misuse of church funds.
Angel said in Filipino: “We have nothing but love to our brother Ka Eduardo Manalo. Brother, I hope we can talk not just with us but with our mother as well. Our mother is eager to talk to you, I just hope we are not prevented by some people. It’s important that we talk face-to-face. Our brothers in faith are also having a difficult time giving more donations. Both Ernie and Felix Manalo have ordered there should be no additional donations. Our standard of donation is enough, and anything beyond this is a burden to them.”
[Original statement: “Mahal po namin ang kapatid naming ito si ka Eduardo Manalo. Kuya, kung nasaan ka man sana mag-usap sana tayo. Hindi lang kaming magkakapatid, higit sa lahat ang ating ina, ang mommy sana makausap mo na sabik na sabik siya. Huwag sanang harangan ng kung sinumang tao, Ang pinakamahalaga ikaw mismo…mukhaan ang makausap namin. Nahihirapan na po ang mga kapatid [sa] karagdagang abuloy. Ibinilin na po ng kapatid Ernie Manalo yun, lalo na si Ka Felix Manalo, na wala na pong karagdagang abuloy. Sapat na po iyung ginagawa namin na standard na paga-abuloy sa Iglesia. Karagdagan pabigat na po sa kanila.”]
ORDER FROM SANTOS?
The rift within the INC and the Manalo family and started in February this when when an order was allegedly issued to several ministers to avoid taking to Tenny and Angel Manalo.
INC General Auditor Glicerio Santos, Jr. and the INC’s Sanggunian, or council of advisors, allegedly issued the order, according to a former minister, Roel Rosal.
Rosal said he was puzzled they were ordered to ignore the widow and son of the late Ka Erdy.
He said various issues surfaced under Santos’ administration — from shorts being sold to members to food supplies.
Rosal also showed to ABS-CBN News a copy of a letter signed and relayed by a mayor from Bulacan.
In the letter, the government official is asking for an explanation why he was not endorsed by the INC in 2010 even if he had a meeting several times with a district minister and even paid P200,000.
Rosal said he delivered the letter to the INC leadership, but they received neither reply nor action.
He alleged that they were also threatened by unnamed officials of the INC’s Sanggunian.
Suspended ministers of the INC are now urging current executive minister Eduardo Manalo to speak up and listen to members and not just officials, to finally settle the issue.
ABS-CBN News tried to get the side of the INC regarding Rosal’s allegations, but its spokesman Edwin Zabala did not reply to either text messages or phone calls.
Zabala earlier said that the INC’s leadership is only following the teachings of the Bible.
Some people also allegedly want to interfere in running the religious group’s affairs. —with reports from Jay Ruiz and Niko Baua, ABS-CBN News; ANC
This article has been re-published with permission from ABS-CBNnews.com.
