Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday, September 26 maintained that the leader of alleged cult, Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc. (SBSI) must be physically present in the Senate hearing to answer the allegations they are facing.
"Si Jey Rence [Quilario] o Senior Agila ay pinatawag sa Senado kaya siya ang dapat pumunta ng Senado, gaya ng iba din na pinatawag namin sa Senado para harapin ang mga lehitimong mga issue," the Senator, who sits as the chairperson of Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, said in a video statement.
Hontiveros stressed that the issue on hand solely centers on sexual abuse and violation of the rights of women and their families.
"Ang boses na mahalaga sa mga issue na ito ay ang mga biktima-survivors," she added.
The Senator released the video statement in response to Quilario and SBSI members' call that Senators should personally visit the community located in the mountain in Surigao Del Norte called Sitio Kapihan.
According to the SBSI leader, the group has no sufficient funds to travel to Manila.
"Kulang talaga kami sa pondo. Simple lang kami dito. Kulang kami sa pera, wala kaming pera," Quilario told the media over the weekend.
The Senate hearing into the reported sexual abuses, forced marriages, and other violence against minor children in SBSI is set for Thursday, September 28.
Aside from Quilario, the eight children who successfully escaped the cult were also invited to join the hearing.
