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Lapu-Lapu City police are now looking into allegations raised by members of a cult in barangay Maribago, who said they were tortured at the hands of their fellow cultists.
Senior Supt. Mariano Natuel said he has already interviewed the victims who were recuperating at a hospital and would help them file cases.
Natuel, director of city police, said he has increased police visibility in barangay Maribago.
What the cult insisted were “healing rituals” were more like torture to those who have undergone it, said one of its members.
Erlinda Traya, sister of Paulina Arong who died allegedly at the hands of the cult, said she and her five children suffered greatly at the hands of the cult, who accused them of being demons or were possessed by evil spirits.
Traya, 52, said that on July 13, while she was attending the wake for her sister in a chapel in the cult’s compound in sitio Datag in barangay Maribago, the cult’s leaders asked her to bring her children – Ronald, 28; Marichu, 25; Kenneth, 22; Stephanie, 21; and a 16-year-old daughter.
As she returned to the chapel with her children, the cult barricaded the room and forced them to kneel before the altar.
It was then that 13-year-old Elmer (real name withheld), who claimed to be a medium for the Archangel Michael, said they were “ungo” (demon) and that they should be cleansed.
Traya said Angelica (real name withheld), 18, who claimed to be the group’s spiritual leader, hypnotized her and her children so that they would not resist.
The “healing” commenced shortly thereafter.
Traya said cult members tortured them until they would admit they were demons.
“Gipugos mi ug patug-an nga ungo kuno mi (They forced us to admit that we were demons),” Traya said.
The ritual, she said, involved beating them while forcing them to look at the image of the Holy Child. If their gaze strayed from the image, they would be beaten some more.
She said the cultists barred her and her children from screaming in pain.
Eventually, the cultists stripped her of her clothes and poked with the image of the Holy Child.
The torture continued for three days, during which she suffered heavy bruises and a broken rib. They were also forced to eat porridge mixed with chili.
She said Angelica choked her.
The cult forced her daughter Stephanie to vomit, Traya said. This was supposedly a way to purge the evil from her.
While most of the children suffered injuries, Traya said she and Stephanie received the most physical abuse.
Traya said the cult claimed that she and her daughter were possessed by the same “evil spirits” that earlier inhabited Arong.
Angelica later told the cult that Traya was to be killed.
Traya said she begged Angelica to spare her because she had to support five children. Angelica then said she would kill Stephanie instead.
On July 16, Traya said she begged Angelica to release them because their livelihoods were in danger.
While Angelica first said the family needed to wait three days more in the chapel, she eventually ordered the family released on that day.
Traya and her family informed Maribago barangay officials of what had happened.
Maribago barangay captain Joseph Pangatuan and policemen brought the Traya family to the Mactan Community Hospital for treatment.
Traya said she wanted justice for her and her children. She said she would file a case against the cult.
“Grabeng kauwaw ang na-experience nako ug sa akong mga anak (It was a very embarrassing experience for myself and my children),” Traya said.
