[The Slingshot] Duterte’s penchant for an INC killer cop

Duterte said in an interview: “Because the boys of Iglesia ni Cristo, maasahan mo at ‘yang pera mo hindi masayang, hindi ibulsa, at gagastuhin ‘yan para sa project na pinapagawa mo sa kanila’

Rodrigo Duterte had just won the presidential election in May 2016. At 5 a.m. on May 26, he called one of his trusted Davao policewomen, Royina Garma, to meet him at his residence in Doña Luisa, Davao City. The two of them then drove their car through the streets of the city during this short hour. In the car, he asked them to start organizing a Filipino death squad modeled on the extrajudicial killing police of Davao City.

Duterte told Garma that he had a non-negotiable specialty: a police officer who is a member of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) sect must lead the national death squad.

Duterte did not refute this statement, which Garma made in her affidavit in the House of Representatives Committee of Four hearing on October 11. The only thing he later refuted was that he did not authorize cash rewards for police officers involved in the murders. Still, he confirmed an important detail in the Garma statement: that he wanted a police officer who was a member of the INC.

This writer has no pleasure in using SMNI News as a source, but this is the only interview Duterte gave that the mainstream media did not pick up. Later, the website Abogado.com.ph made it even clearer that Duterte made the contradictory statement about his preference for an INC police officer:

“Because the boys from Iglesia ni Cristo, I want to tell you that not only Hindi Masayang, Hindi Ibulsa but also you have the opportunity to design your project in the best way (You can rely on them and your money will not be wasted, pocketed and spent on the project you hired them to do.)”

Note the contradiction: his project was actually about money for the killing police officers, even though he had just denied it in the same interview.

But why the choice for the INC?

Appointing INC members to national office is an effective way to court the esteem of the bloc’s voting sect. Even Police General Nicolas D. Torre III, known for the recent arrest and surrender of fugitive Apollo Quiboloy, is an INC member. The INC welcomes governments that appoint members of the INC and they ensure that electoral rewards are plentiful.

In Duterte’s case, however, the bias goes beyond skin deep. Duterte and the INC actually share a common geopolitical bias: leaning toward the People’s Republic of China. Quiboloy attempted to emulate the INC template by establishing business relationships with Chinese companies, particularly its construction subsidiary, ACQ Solomonic Builders Development Corporation.

The massive KJC King Dome, for example, was built using Chinese materials in collaboration with Hangzhou-based sports company Dafeng. For this reason, the 75,000-seat sports arena was listed by the Chinese Ministry of Culture as part of the “One Belt One Road” initiative.

But the INC goes far deeper than short-term deals like Quiboloy’s. In fact, it capitulates to the sinicization policy that requires religious groups to follow the teachings, customs and morals of socialist autocratic China. And the INC does it well. It has not only established its presence among Filipinos in the coastal enclaves of Hong Kong and Macau in recent years. It also expanded into Beijing and Shanghai. (From the Rappler archives | MAP: Where in the world is Iglesia ni Cristo?)

In Hong Kong it maintains a “local” on Lantau Island, the largest municipality in China, and another location in Macau, all under the approval of the regional special administrative authorities of these cities. In 2016, the company expanded to the capital Beijing. About two years ago, a private social media post featured a local in the city of Shanghai and featured some of his “kapatiran(Brothers).

The Facebook group INC News and Updates even uses Mandarin characters and shows photos of them kapatiran in Beijing.

To illustrate how deep and close the ties are between the INC and China, a documentary was recently aired by the sect’s television channel NET25 that pointed out China’s great influence over the INC. NET25 showed the 75^Th Anniversary of the Communist Party of China and the official military honors in Tiananmen Square.

The INC documentary essentially showed a history of the CCP from Mao to Xi Jin Ping, filmed in Beijing. Of course, the infamous Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989, which left China with a massive, indelible stain on its human rights reputation before the world, was not taken into account. It left several thousand dead and wounded.

Justified “China, Red Dragon by Asya: Have you reached 100 Taon?“(China, Red Dragon of Asia: Is It Turning 100?) It contained something amazing that poked fun at Philippine foreign policy, but not necessarily Duterte’s.

It showed a map of China and its so-called 10-dash line encompassing the West Philippine Sea and Scarborough Reef, and that the ultimate containment of all areas falling within that line (including Taiwan) is a goal of the ” Renewal” of the party. until 2049.

The crucial question arises: Which politician will accuse the INC of opposing our official foreign policy?

Certainly not Rodrigo Duterte in his time. His China pivot was also that of the INCs. The INC would also never have questioned its human rights record.

As we can clearly see, they are scratching each other’s backs. – Rappler.com