http://www.network54.com/Forum/261121/thread/1194885401/last-1194961226/
Ang Dating Daan center faces closure
A convention center used by the Ang Dating Daan religious movement led by televangelist Bro. Eli Soriano is in risk of possible closure for violating several laws, Apalit, Pampanga Oscar Tetangco Jr. said Monday.
In a forum at the National Press Club, Tetangco said the Apalit government will close down the Ang Dating Daan Convention Center if the religious group continues to violate local regulations.
He accused the group of violating the building code after constructing the center without the necessary building permit. He said several business establishments inside the convention center did not have business permits from the local government.
He also accused the group of illegally storing firearms.
Tetangco said Soriano's camp offered him P10 million in exchange for his silence. He said he turned down the bribe after receiving complaints from people affected by the construction of the convention center.
Several Ang Dating Daan members also accused ADD and Soriano of land-grabbing after refusing to pay an estimated P30 million for the land. They asked Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim to help in the case.
Atty. Fernando Gallardo, lawyer of Ang Dating Daan, admitted that the group did not have a permit to build the convention center. He said the organization applied for a building permit but has yet to receive the same from the local government. He advised church officials to resubmit the requirements, and that they already talked to the government offices involved that they will finish the paperwork by December.
Regarding the alleged lack of permit of businesses inside the convention center, Gallardo said that the stores in question were actually a commissary and a canteen serving around 5,000 church workers. He said that these were for the workers' use only and were non-profit.
Gallardo also said that there are no illegally-stored weapons in the said convention center. The only weapons inside the center's premises are those of the security guards.
The ADD lawyer also said that Tetangco should also specify who actually offered him the P 10 million alleged bribe.
Regarding the land-grabbing complaint, Gallardo said that the property in question actually involved 12 hectares of land in Barangay Sucat, Apalit, where the organization is planning to expand. The ADD already paid P 5 million to the 8 people who own the lots, but the titles have yet to be transferred to the church.
Last November 6, the Apalit municipal government filed a case at the Department of Justice against the leaders of the ADD after they were barred from inspecting the ADD Convention Center. The government acted upon the complaint related to the lack of permits.
Tetangco said that they were planning to see if the allegations were true but they were barred from entering the center by armed guards.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=98954
This message has been edited by i3answer on Nov 14, 2007 5:38 AM
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