Presumption of Innocence

Every time a news article containing accusations and allegations against the Iglesia Ni Cristo pops up either from the local newspaper or from the internet, many people are quick to react and pass a guilty verdict upon us. They post all sorts of harsh comments against the Church Administration and the members as well. Allow me to repost here the comment I posted on the comment section of a news article entitled: “INC denies owning jet, bank accounts”

Comment:

What happened to the presumption of innocence, that one is considered innocent unless proven guilty? Or do you have your own brand of fairness and justice that one is considered guilty unless proven innocent? Or worse, one is always guilty even when proven innocent? You do these things to us, the very things you do not want to be done to you. What happened to the “golden rule”?

Or could it be that there is no rule that you follow but the rule of hatred, bias and prejudice?

As to the allegations and accusations of former INC ministers Isaias Samson, Jr. and Vincent Florida, they are mere allegations and accusations. However, we gave our straight answer. Thru Bro. Edwil Zabala, we categorically denied these allegations and accusations. Bro. Zabala even aired his suspicion that Samson and the other former ministers who had been attacking the INC “may be part of a systematic, planned effort to discredit the church.” We just hope you are not a part of that suspected “systematic, planned effort to discredit the church.”

Anyway, could you please reserve your harsh comments after a verdict has been made (should a case be filed against us)? Or if you want to continue with your harsh comments, then it’s up to you. But are you willing to take them all back should the court’s decision be in our favor?

Or even when the court’s decision is in our favor, still you would not accept that we are innocent because regardless of what, in your eyes, we are all guilty because we are members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo? And you would even accuse the judges who rendered the decision all sorts of accusations because they decided on our favor.

So, regardless of what we say and do, and regardless of what the courts say, we are always guilty before your eyes. Is that how much you hate us for deciding to embrace our faith? It’s sad to know that you have branded us over and over again as blind followers when it’s you who have covered your eyes so as not to see the rule of law and the presumption of innocence. When can you ever see that this Church is not a cult for what we chose to follow are God’s teachings and commandments?

Lowell Menorca: Ang Sagot

“We didn’t try to BURY you, because we know that you are WEEDS.”