Members of the Socorro Bayanihan Services, Inc. (SBSI) have opposed the precautionary hold departure order being sought by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) against Jey Rence Quilario or “Senior Agila,” the group’s leader.
The NBI earlier filed the hold order before the Department of Justice (DOJ) while Quilario and other respondents are still being detained at the Senate.
Speaking to reporters after the clarificatory hearing as part of the preliminary investigation on the complaints, SBSI legal counsel Hillary Olga Reserva said they are opposing the NBI’s move.
“Of course, we opposed but everything we laid down with regard to our opposition has been raised before the DOJ already,” Reserva, quoted by ABS-CBN News, said.
The victims and the respondents led by Quilario again faced the DOJ panel of prosecutors Friday afternoon. The leader of the alleged cult also filed a supplemental counter-affidavit before the panel.
“We are hoping that everything that we raised in the counter affidavit will be taken into consideration with the filing of this case,” Reserva said.
DOJ Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano, said after the hearing, the DOJ has concluded the preliminary investigation on various complaints of qualified trafficking, kidnapping, serious illegal detention against Quilario and 12 other respondents, according to
Clavano also said the motion for precautionary hold departure order was also submitted for resolution after thorough arguments and counter-arguments by both parties.
The alleged cult, based in Socorro, Surigao del Norte, is being accused of several illegal activities.