Jey Rence Quilario, also known as Senior Aguila, have been used only as the "figure head" of the suspected religious cult, Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc. (SBSI), to strengthen the membership, Senator Ronald 'Bato' dela Rosa said on Monday, Oct. 2.
Interviewed during DZRH's Dos Por Dos, del Rosa said their initial investigation showed that Quilario is being controlled by three elderly advisers of the cult.
The three were earlier identified as Mamerto Galanida, Karen Sanico, and Janeth Ajoc.
"Lumalabas na yung kasama niyang tatlo na hanggang ngayon ay nakakulong doon sa Senado ay yun ang, as far as policymaking is concerned, eh ayun mga utak [ng organisasyon]. Ayun ang nag de-decide," dela Rosa said.
"Ginamit lang siya bilang figure head ng organisasyon to extract strong adherence, loyalty, and followership from the members para lumakas yung grupo nila. Ginamit lang siya," he added.
Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, sa findings ukol sa kulto: Sa ngayon, lumalabas talaga na sila ay kulto. Yung lahat ng definition ng kulto, nandiyan lahat. Pasok siya sa definition ng kulto.#DosPorDos#SamaSamaTayoPilipino
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) October 1, 2023
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According to the Senator, Quilario himself had admitted that he was too young and had little knowledge of handling the group.
"Second year high school lang daw siya, at kung pwede lang daw, hindi niya tanggapin ang liderato ng SBSI," dela Rosa said.
But nonetheless, the Senator underscored that they would not disregard the testimonies of the victims.
"Our observation, despite our assessment sa kanyang psychological at mental capability, hindi natin ma-disregard yung mga testimonya ng mga biktima na mga minors na siya mismo ang nagpa-pairing at siya nagka-conduct ng kasal. Siya ang mag-utos na mag-sex na kayo," he said.
Dela Rosa said added that they would also not disdain the narratives that the suspected leader also forced minors to have sexual intercourse with him.
The Senator said they would next look into the family background of Senior Aguila in the next Senate hearing.
Quillario, Galanida, Sanico, and Ajoc are presently detained at the Senate after they were cited in contempt for denying that there had been no child marriages in SBSI during the joint hearing of the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, and Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality last Sept. 28.
