Lawyer says Menorca family missing after death threats

MANILA, Philippines – The legal counsel of expelled Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) minister Lowell Menorca II on Monday told the Court of Appeals (CA) that Menorca and his family went missing after reporting that they received death threats.

Reports said that Menorca’s lawyer, Trixie Angeles, appeared before CA notifying the court that the former minister was last reached 8 p.m. on Sunday when Menorca informed that they received death threats and that they wanted to leave. He said, however, that his family was stopped at the airport due to a hold departure order and warrants of arrest.

Menorca allegedly called Angeles informing him that he, his wife Seiko Menorca and daughter, were allowed to leave but the former minister cannot be contacted since.

Another legal counsel, Patricia Ann Progalidad, doubted that Menorca family is missing as the latter posted on his Facebook page a picture of a threat targeting his daughter at 3:56 a.m. on Monday.

In his Facebook post, Menorca said the photo of his family with a red cross 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 in their safe house. He is begging the detractors to leave his daughter alone.

Menorca did not post any update since then. 

Menorca is scheduled to appear before the CA to continue the 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. 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.