Chris Brown’s promoter still detained at BI, lawyers issue statement

Michael Pio Roda, a Canadian citizen with Filipino lineage, has been detained at the Bureau of Immigrations Detention Facility for almost two (2) weeks allegedly for swindling an Iglesia ni Cristo-controlled company of more than US$1 Million arising from the non-appearance of American rap artist Chris Brown in a concert at The Philippine Arena on 31st December 2014.

Despite the fact that his passport has been confiscated thus negating the risk of him leaving the country, the Iglesia ni Cristo company, through the active involvement of an INC member who happens to be the acting head of the legal division of the Bureau of Immigration, continues to oppress Mr. Pio Roda’s right to bail even as the criminal complaint against him and Chris Brown is pending before the Department of Justice.  Mr. Pio Roda will be filing a request for this INC Member (Atty. Cris Villalobos) to be inhibited from handling and being involved in the immigration proceedings.

More importantly, Mr. Pio Roda will strongly and forcefully defend his innocence from the outrageous charges made by this Iglesia ni Cristo company.  In due time, he will execute and sign the appropriate legal document that will detail the true facts, bely the lies made public by the representatives of this Iglesia ni Cristo company, and expose the contractual bad faith and possible corruption activities of certain members of this religious sect.

Nonetheless, Mr. Pio Roda makes the following clarifications for the information of the public:

1. Mr. Pio Roda never received US$1,006,250 from the Iglesia ni Cristo or any INC-affiliated or controlled company. Documents will establish that Mr. Pio Roda only received  $45,000 from complainant MDC (Maligaya Development Corporation), while Chris Brown was directly paid $350,000.00. Mr. Pio Roda likewise received a total amount of $228,750, but this was paid by J. Williams Management Group, Inc. and not by complainant MDC, while Chris Brown again received directly $350,000.00  The said amount ($578,750) is in fact subject of the compromise agreement between J. Williams and Pinnacle, and is currently being paid by Mr. Pio Roda. To hold Mr. Pio Roda accountable for the entire $1 Million by MDC or the INC is not only without legal or factual basis but is a travesty of justice and a continued violation of human rights.

2. As early as 30th December 2014 (Manila time) or 2 days before the concert, the INC-affiliated company was already informed that Chris Brown had lost his passport. Mr. Pio Roda provided options including the chartering of a private plane to bring Chris Brown to Manila as soon as he got a replacement passport, but the INC-affiliated company refused this compromise.

3. Between January and July 2015, earnest efforts were made in order to reimburse the INC-affiliated company for the amounts it paid for the December 2014 concert. In a Compromise Agreement dated 16th July 2015, J Williams Management Group (represented by Ms. Gertrudes Lorenzo, the daughter of Glicerio Santos Jr. of the Iglesia ni Cristo) and Mike Pio Roda affixed their signatures, wherein Mr. Pio Roda’s company (Pinnacle Live Concepts) would remit $10,000 upon execution of the Agreement and $350,000 on or before 4 August 2015, which amounts shall come from the proceeds of the Chris Brown Replacement Show on 21st July 2015.  Thus, Mr. Pio Roda’s Gestapo-like arrest and detention beginning 23rd July 2015 and the filing of a US$1 Million criminal complaint is a shocking development, if not a reflection of bad faith in breach of the terms of the Compromise Agreement.  A copy of the Compromise Agreement is attached to this Press Statement.

Mr. Pio Roda asks for prayers from the public for strength to overcome the oppression he is experiencing at the hands of certain members of the Iglesia ni Cristo, and that the DoJ prosecution panel be granted the wisdom and impartiality to see the true facts so that he could regain his liberty at the soonest time.