BI: Menorca family is in Vietnam

MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Monday confirmed that expelled Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) minister Lowell Menorca II and his family left the country on Sunday evening following reported death threats.

Reports said BI confirmed that Menorca’s wife, Jinky Otsuka-Menorca, and their daughter flew to Ho Chi Minh City at 10:45 p.m. of Sunday.

The confirmation was made by the BI after he was reportedly missing when the legal counsel of Menorca, Trixie Angeles, appeared before the Court of Appeals (CA) notifying the court that the former minister was last reached 8 p.m. on Sunday and was not contacted since.

Angeles recounted that Menorca called her on Sunday evening informing her that they received death threats and that they wanted to leave. He said, however, that his family was initially stopped at the airport due to a hold departure order and warrants of arrest.

The lawyer said Menorca once again called saying he was already permitted to leave.

On his Facebook post early Monday, Menorca said the photo of his family with a crosshair on his daughter’s face and caption “March 7, 2016 say goodbye!!!” written by a group who identified themselves as “Mandirigma" was left at the windshield of his car place in their safehouse. He is begging the detractors to leave his toddler alone.

Menorca did not post any update since then.

The BI said there is no hold departure order against Menorca.

Menorca left ahead of his scheduled cross examination of the writ of amparo petition filed by his brother Anthony and sister-in-law Jungko in connection with the alleged kidnapping case last year before the CA. He earlier claimed that he was abducted by the members of the Quezon City Police and was detained at the INC compound in the city for three months.

RELATED: Lawyer says Menorca family missing after death threats