religion as a business? Posted: Oct 20, 2003 9:38 PM
Reply
Religion as a Business
"May walong kompanya raw kayo? " This was the question of Mike Enriquez about the existence of 8 companies own by Eli Soriano. The respond of Soriano was outright lie and appeal to passion by using his orphanage as veil. "Walong orphanage ang mayroon ako" was Soriano's brief but shrewd reply. But the Imbestigador was quick to show that this man merely using the orphanage as front. Unknown to Soriano, prior to the interview, the Imbestigador uncovered 2 business enterprises registered in his name in SEC and 6 others in DTI. Imbestigador exposed Eli Soriano is more a cunning businessman than a trustworthy religious leader.
With no way out, the palusot of course of Eli Soriano is to show the cash inflow per year of PhP100M is always short, for the ADD is incurring a deficit of around P78M annually. And that P78M came from his own pocket. But a video clip exposed earlier by Special Assignment of ABS-CBN showed that it was Soriano who was begging from his members to pay his bank debts, not the other way around. The famous lines of Soriano from that videoclip are:
"ease me with my burden"
"P20Million lang ang kailangan ko para maalisan ako ng isipin"
"Tig-iisang libolang (kayo) may P20Million na (ako)"
Owner of 6 Cars
The other inquiry of the Imbestigador was to asked Eli Soriano how many cars he owns. Soriano's pretensed with "isang lumang jeep lang". Mike found out Eli was lying with his teeth because there were actually six (6) cars registered to his name unearth by Imbestigador in LTO. Mike followed-up the falsehood spewed earlier in the interview. Mike contacted again Eli through the phone to clarify the issue. As expected, Eli Soriano denied owning the cars but passed the bucks to his favorite pamangkin instead. The pamangkin's rank is second in command in the iglesia ni Soriano. It is difficult to believe the commander is merely a dummy of the deputy. Nagpalusot na naman and the "sangakalan" is the pamangkin's. Eli was caught with his pants down.
If those vehicles including the expensive Chrysler are actually owned by his pamangkin, why they are in the name of Eliseo Soriano, what is preventing the pamangkin to register them in his name? These are expected questions if you are an investigator, but of course the pamangkin is Daniel Razon, a member of the GMA family. Mike will surely not going to exploit that issue. Instead, expect Luchi of ABS-CBN to take advantage of them, anticipate also a counter attack by Net25 because they will not take this development sitting down. The role of SBN21 is to be showing video clips of programs where witnessing iglesia ni Soriano members admitted how expensive vehicles were given away by Eli Soriano to prop-up his business partners.
The ADD Convention Center
Unlike the exposed owner of 6 cars, Eli Soriano succeeded in hiding the fact from Imbestigador that the ADD Convention Center (boasted earlier by Eli to be much bigger than the Araneta Coliseum) located in Apalit, Pampanga including the lot where it stand are privately own by him. We don't know who become the sangkalan if ever the Imbestigador get hold of the ownership document. Will it be the pamangkin's again?
Were not abuloy of kapatiran collected for the construction of the said edifice? This property is just one of the many personal assets of Eli Soriano as these are used as collaterals in bank loans. Brethren are then exhorted during church services in Apalit to contribute in paying banks loans (ginagatasan). Are not properties acquired or constructed edifices using church money supposed to be corporate properties of the church? Who now owns what in the iglesia ni Soriano?
The Comics
Eli Soriano again blame the INC, but again the Imbestigador showed it was the liar Eli who was accused by the INC in the court of law because of his "malicious" allegation against the INC.
Soriano also portrayed his church being persecuted by INC, but failed to state that he was the one attacking the INC from day one he make used of the broadcast media (almost 20 years now). The INC program to counter Soriano's allegation on the air wave was established only in 2001. The result of which are many ADD coordinating centers close shop. This is the only reason why Soriano was so mad with INCs as shown by video clips in the Special Assignment of Luchi, kaya siya ay nabansagang " palamura ".
You Can't Teach an Old Dog a New Trick
Imbestigador also demonstrated what manner Eli Soriano show off. Bastos is the appropriate description for Eli. The first thing upon entering the place (where he was interviewed by Mike Enriquez) was to spit his saliva or maybe phlegm right at the shinning floor tiles as shown in the Imbestigador video. That actuation was like saying to his host: "…kayong mga nakatira dito, karapat-dapat ko lang kayong duraan…PWE! "
When asked by Mike about his demeanor, his silly explanation was: "sabi ng lola ko kapag may sipon dapat daw ay ilabas at hindi singhutin ng singhutin" I was expecting Mike a follow up question whether his lola taught him also where he was supposed to blow his sipon, but that question did not come because what is bizarre with Eli, it's from his mouth where his sipon comes out.
Luchi was shown making face by ADD video, but GMA, ABS-CBN, SBN, including ADD video cameras recorded the unmannered Eli spiting his saliva anywhere he goes, whatever the occasion, wherever the place, and whenever he pleases. Yes, even he's wearing the Barong Tagalog, the manner is the same. This saying is always true: "Ang unggoy ay unggoy parin kahit na naka barong