In a distressing situation, reports have emerged of alleged sexual abuse of children on a secluded island in the Philippines, carried out by a doomsday cult led by an individual who claims to be a reincarnation of Jesus.
Save the Children has urgently called upon the Filipino government to take swift action to rescue approximately 1,500 children reportedly held within a heavily guarded enclave on one of the southern islands, near a famous surfing destination.
Originally established as a civic organization, the group, known as Socorro Bayanihan Services, is said to have transformed into an exploitative quasi-religious cult, named Omega de Salonera, in 2017.
They allegedly utilized a powerful earthquake in 2019 to coerce people into the mountains under the threat of eternal damnation, where the cult's leaders could evade scrutiny and carry out horrifying abuses. Filipino lawmakers have accused them of running a clandestine drug operation protected by a private army.
The cult reportedly boasts over 3,500 members and is headed by Jey Rence B Quilario (pictured above), who is referred to as "The Messiah."
Senator Risa Hontiveros, chairman of the senate committee on women and children, recently employed her congressional privilege to level accusations against Mr. Quilario and his associates for widespread exploitation.
She emphasized the urgent need for action to protect over a thousand young individuals at the hands of this deceitful and abusive cult.
Fellow senator Ronald Dela Rosa accused the cult's leaders of using members as "human shields" to evade prosecution for drug trafficking and called for an immediate investigation. Reports suggest that the group operated a methamphetamine laboratory near the "White House," where Mr. Quilario and other leaders reside, guarded by a private army and reportedly receiving support from a local extremist group.
Save the Children has echoed the senators' calls for action, expressing deep concern for minors exposed to "horrific violence." They have urged authorities to conduct thorough investigations, ensure the protection of affected children, and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Allegations of rape have surfaced, including testimonies from children and adults who escaped the cult, such as a 15-year-old identified as Chloe. She claimed that Mr. Quilario forced her into marriage with a 21-year-old man when she was just 13, and that she was subjected to sexual abuse.
Senator Hontiveros also accused Mr. Quilario of raping children and preventing minors from attending school, while demanding a significant portion of members' pensions and welfare payments and being involved in drug smuggling.
Senator Dela Rosa revealed information from local authorities suggesting that young girls within the cult were forced into sexual encounters with Mr. Quilario before being married at the age of 12.
Furthermore, testimonies, including that of Anna Fionah L. Bojos from the Cebu for Human Rights NGO, documented alleged forced labor, with children compelled to perform grueling tasks and endure physical and psychological abuse.
Despite Socorro Bayanihan Services denying these allegations, the accusations have garnered significant attention in the Philippines.
Concerns are mounting that eight children who escaped recently could be at risk of being coerced back into the mountains, emphasizing the urgency of the situation and the need for strict enforcement of laws aimed at protecting children from abuse and early marriage.
Meanwhile, another tragic incident has taken the life of a 21-year-old bride-to-be, Alessia Neboso, from Italy, who aspired to showcase her new cleavage in a revealing wedding dress after undergoing breast augmentation surgery. See detailed story here.
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