Documentary record Bound by Fear
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Charged New religious movements Doomsday / apocalyptic group Balamban, Cebu, Philippines · 2014

Philippines: 'Dios Amahan' cult leader charged with murder and trafficking of a follower's child

Record class

Core record

Evidence status

Charged

Authority role

self-proclaimed 'Dios Amahan' (God the Father), faith healer and cult leader

Organization

Dios Amahan (Balamban sect)

Spiritual nexus

Followers venerated Apduhan as 'Dios Amahan' — God the Father — crediting him with healing and resurrection powers; the victim's family were followers, and the boy's death is alleged to have occurred inside the leader's compound in the course of a treasure-hunting ritual he directed.

  • Spiritual healing or treatment
  • Prophecy or divine command

Evidence structure

Proceedings

  1. 2014-03-25 · charges filed and arraigned

    Office of the Provincial Prosecutor, Cebu / Regional Trial Court, Toledo City, Philippines. The Provincial Prosecutor approved murder and qualified-trafficking charges against Casiano 'Tatay Loloy' Apduhan and two aides after the NBI recovered the buried remains of a 14-year-old boy, allegedly killed and buried in a search for treasure, inside Apduhan's compound; separate charges of serious illegal detention (of an adult follower held over five years) and illegal firearm possession were also filed. Apduhan pleaded not guilty at arraignment. No further disposition was locatable in the accessible record.

Documented coercion mechanisms

  • claimed divine healing and resurrection powers
  • claimed ability to predict apocalypse
  • isolation of followers inside a walled compound with an underground tunnel

Primary record

Sources

national newspaper court reporting arrest and charging report 'Ex-brgy. official becomes a healer, cult leader', SunStar Cebu, 26 Mar. 2014.

Reports the NBI's arrest of Apduhan, his claimed healing and resurrection powers, the discovery of the buried remains of Angelo Repuela inside his compound, and the murder and detention charges filed against him.

national newspaper court reporting arraignment report "'Tatay Loloy' enters plea of not guilty", Cebu Daily News, 2014.

Reports Apduhan's not-guilty plea at arraignment before the Regional Trial Court, Toledo City, on the serious illegal detention and firearms charges.

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