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Eliseo Soriano
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Eliseo "Eli" Soriano
Soriano at the 8th Philippine web awards
ReligionMembers Church of God InternationalSenior posting
Based inApalit,
Pampanga,
PhilippinesTitlePresiding Minister
Pantas (Filipino: Wise Man)
Period in office1977 - present
Websitehttp://www.elisoriano.com/Personal
Date of birthApril 4, 1947 (1947-04-04) (age 61)
Place of birthPasay City,
Metro Manila,
PhilippinesEliseo Fernando Soriano (born April 4, 1947), a controversial
Filipino evangelist, is presiding minister of the
Philippines-based
Members Church of God International. He is known as Bro. Eli in the Congregation he leads, and through his radio and television programs
Ang Dating Daan (The Old Path), Ask Soriano, Bible Guide and Truth in Focus. Soriano is known for criticizing various other religious groups for doctrines and practices he considers to be against biblical truths. Soriano and his followers claim him to be the
Pantas (Wise man) according to Daniel 12:9-10 who would understand the bible in the last days. This is exhibited in his program "Itanong mo kay Soriano (Ask Soriano)" where he claims to be able to answer all kinds of Bible questions similar to the self-styled "
Bible Answer Man",
Hank Hanegraff.
Contents
[hide]
[edit] Biography
Soriano was born to Triunfo Soriano and Catalina Fernando in
Pasay City and is the seventh of eight children. He grew up in
Pampanga. He was shy as a child and started school at the age of eight.
Soriano dropped out of high school three months before graduation. On
April 7,
1964, three days after his 17th birthday, the young Eliseo was baptised in Seneguelasan,
Bacoor, Cavite, and became an official member of the
Iglesia ng Dios kay Kristo Hesus, Haligi at Suhay ng Katotohanan (Church of God in Christ Jesus, Pillar and Support of the Truth in English) founded by Nicholas Perez where his parents are also members.
In 1969, Nicolas Perez, who was then the church’s presiding minister, bestowed upon Soriano the title
minister making him the only minister in the
Iglesia ng Dios kay Kristo Hesus, Haligi at Suhay ng Katotohanan at that time. Rumor then was circulating that Soriano would become the successor of Perez. After the death of Nicholas Perez however in 1975, a woman by the name of Levita Gugulan was appointed as presiding minister of the group. Soriano initially accepted the appointment of Gugulan but subsequently denounced her leadership stating that women should not be leaders of the church according to the bible.
[1] Some reports claim that Soriano was excommunicated by the group of Gugulan on the ground of homosexuality, among others.[
citation needed]
In 1977, Soriano registered a new group, called
Iglesia ng Dios kay Kristo Hesus, Haligi at Saligan ng Katotohanan(Church of God in Christ Jesus, Pillar and Ground of Truth in English), which was later changed to
Mga Kaanib sa Iglesia ng Dios kay Kristo Hesus, Haligi at Saligan ng Katotohanan sa Bansang Pilipinas, Inc. (Members Church of God in Christ Jesus, Pillar and Ground of Truth, Philippines, Inc. in English).
[2]
Because of the similarity between the name used by Gugulan’s group and Soriano's group, the former filed a suit, which was resolved by the
Supreme Court of the Philippines in 2001 in favor of Gugulan's group and Soriano's group was ordered to change its church's name not similar to Gugulan's.
[3]Soriano changed his church name to
Bayan ng Katotohanan (City of Truth Inc. in English) and later to
Iglesia Ni YHWH at ni YHWSA HMSYH Inc.(Church of YHWH and YHWSA HMSYH Inc. in English). In 2004 Soriano registered and used the name
Members Church of God International.
Soriano started his first radio broadcast in 1980 and TV program
Ang Dating Daan in 1983.
[edit] Senate disqualification
Soriano was declared a nuisance candidate and disqualified by the En Banc Comelec (Commission On Elections) on
January 17,
2004 when he stood for a position of senator.
[4] Soriano was running as an independent candidate.
[5][6]
[edit] Rape case
In May 2006, Soriano was indicted on
rape charges at the regional trial court of Macabebe, Pampanga, following a complaint filed by former
MCGI assistant secretary general Daniel Veridiano that he was sexually assaulted in Apalit, Pampanga on two occasions.
[7] According to a report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer report in June 2008, Soriano allegedly abused his influence by directing Veridiano "to come into his room, massage him and have anal intercourse", an act that was against the consent of Veridiano.
[8] In his counter affidavit, Soriano described Veridiano's accusations as "fabricated, baseless and malicious" and said that Veridiano was simply retaliating for being expelled from Members Church of God International.
Macabebe Regional Trial Court Judge Manuel Siyangco issued the warrant of arrest. Soriano was allowed to post a P400,000
bail bond (P200,000 for each count).
[9] The charge was dismissed but was later refiled in a higher court by the country’s Department of Justice Secretary, Raul Gonzales.
In November 2006, an
arrest warrant was issued against Soriano by Judge Lucina Dayaon,
Macabebe. After more than a year and a half of living as a
fugitive, news came out that Soriano finally emerged from hiding and posted a P240,000
bail at a police Station in
Pandacan,
Manila on
June 21, 2008.
[8] However,
Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that on
August 29, 2008, Soriano and two others were sued for violation of Art. 171,
Revised Penal Code of the Philippines (
falsification of public documents) at the
Manila City Prosecutor's Office. It was discovered that the arresting officer, PO3 June Gumaru, and Soriano's secretary, Belen Talentado, conspired in faking the certificate of detention to permit his release by posting bail for his
rape case. PO3 Gumaru admitted in a sworn affidavit that he had never seen the church group leader, that Soriano did not really surrender to him, and that he is, in fact, still a fugitive.
[10]
[edit] Criticism
In 2005,
MTRCB banned Soriano's programs because of statements made by Soriano against the
Iglesia ni Cristo, the
Arroyo government, and the MTRCB. He was prohibited from uttering libellous and defamatory statements against INC. Soriano had used terms like
iglesiang pumapatay ng kapwa tao (church who murders) and
iglesia ni Manalo (church of Manalo) to malign the INC in his programs.
[11]
As a result of Soriano's frequent attacks on the
Iglesia ni Cristo, INC launched a TV program,
Ang Tamang Daan, to counter Soriano's criticism of INC's teachings and practices and to expose what they say are Soriano's false teachings and contradictions on the show. To insult and malign Soriano, The INC hosts would often refer to him as
manloloko (deceiver),
dayukdok (ravenous),
mandarambong (plunderer),
mangongotong (extortioner),
manghohostage (hostage taker) and the like. This has sparked a
feud between Soriano and the Iglesia ni Cristo.