Ex-INC member gets arrest warrant for second libel case

Former Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) minister Lowell Menorca II

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Cases are piling up on Lowell Menorca, a former Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) minister who was expelled from the church.

On Thursday (January 20), police officers in Manila received a copy of a second arrest warrant issued against Menorca — this time from a local court in Marawi City.

Just a day before, he was arrested over a libel case filed against him in Lanao Del Norte.

Menorca is convinced INC officials are behind all this.

"This is just proof of it... na talagang gagawin nila ito to prevent me from talking," he said.

Menorca has other libel cases pending in Cavite, Pampanga, and Masbate.

He said cases were filed by members of the church's disaster response group SCAN International, which supposedly got offended by Menorca's previous statements that the group is involved in illegal activities.

But Menorca said he was merely referring to certain members of the SCAN, and not the organization as a whole.

"I'm not talking about the whole organization. Kasi kahit anong organization there would be one or two or fraction na unfortunately magagamit sa masama," said Menorca. "'Yun lang ang point ko dun but it was taken out of context that was their springboard para mag-file ngnumerous cases against me."

The former INC minister has been detained for a day at the Ermita station of the Manila Police District. Menorca, who is eager to get his bail processed, would need to pay a P20,000 bail bond for both libel cases.

Atty. Milabel Cristobal from the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) is now working on his release.

"I haven't seen even the merits of the case kasi wala ngang papeles eh, it's just the warrant," said Cristobal. "Pero what raises your eyebrows is galing saMindanao (yung case) eh tinanong ko siya, hindi naman siya nagpunta doon. At least in recent months, ano so saan galing yon?"

Aside from his libel cases, Menorca is also facing a complaint for resisting arrest.

Police officers said Menorca fought back when they tried to take him into custody.

The Manila city prosecutor's office had already issued a release order for Menorca and his aide Felix Eslava, as it referred the resisting arrest, obstruction of justice charges for further investigation.

Source:

http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2016/01/21/menorca-inc-arrest-warrant-libel-case-bail.html#.VqExxx-a4KI.facebook