Leader of ‘cult’ pleads not guilty

CEBU, Philippines - An alleged leader of a religious cult in Balamban town pleaded not guilty during his arraignment yesterday for violation of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.

Assisted by lawyers Nikki Alcordo and Christ Francis Tangoan, Casiano Apduhan, alias Tatay Boy, denied the charges filed against him over allegations of forced labor, based on the accounts of couple Eleuterio and Remegia Repuela.

The couple is the parents of Angelo, a 15-year-old boy who was allegedly killed and buried down a 30-foot tunnel under Apduhan’s house in Sitio Laray III, Barangay Buanoy, Balamban in 2012.

Regional Trial Court Judge Ruben Altubar of Branch 29 moved Apduhan’s arraignment for the murder case upon the request of state prosecutor Reynaldo Menchavez. He set the arraignment on December 8, 2014 as well as the summary hearing for the application for bail filed by Apduhan.

Apduhan told the media that he pleaded not guilty because the charges filed against him were fabricated.

Cebu Provincial Women’s Commission consultant Heddah Largo said it was Apduhan’s right to protect and defend himself, adding that they will present enough evidence to prove their case.

The Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office charged Apduhan for murder and for human trafficking after finding probable cause.

State prosecutors likewise indicted Apduhan’s followers Victor Fajardo and Zacarias Barquio for murder for allegedly conspiring with the former. Fajardo and Barquio are both at-large.

Eleuterio, a resident of Alpaco, Naga City said his wife Remegia did not actually saw how their son died as she was cooking their dinner, but saw Apduhan, Fajardo and Barquio before their son’s death.

Eleuterio said he was told that his son was offered as “padugo” for a pot of gold and that he would rise from the dead by 2013. He added that he and his wife served Apduhan the whole year of 2013 without compensation, while waiting for their “son’s resurrection and the predicted apocalypse.”

Apduhan denied that he killed the boy. He said Angelo was sick when he was brought to the villa, adding that it was the couple’s free will to bring their son to his villa, diagnosed with an illness.

When Angelo died and buried under his residence, Apduhan said he was in Negros and had no knowledge about it.

He likewise denied that he maltreated the boy’s family and threatened them if they leave.

Apduhan was earlier charged before the court for serious illegal detention for allegedly detaining Emma Nepomuceno and for illegal possession of firearms. — Mylen P. Manto/NSA (FREEMAN)