David and Goliath
Analysis
Teodoro ‘Ted’ Alcuitas
Vancouver, B.C.
In a classic resemblance to the biblical story of David and Goliath,the vindication of former Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) church worker Lowell Menorca is an example of how a ‘small’ man was able to survive and won against a formidable enemy.
In a scathing decision handed down on October 24 2024, Justice Kenneth Champagne of The King’s Bench, Winnipeg Centre dismissed the INC defamation case against CBC for its series of programs and articles, titled “Church of Secrets”. The judge called the plaintiff’s persistent non-compliance with the court rules “an abuse of the process of the court.” Menorca, who was expelled from the church in 2015, was one of those who gave information and appeared in the CBC series.
Full text of decision: INC vs.CBC: Canadian Court Decision Against Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) – File No. CI 19-01-19079
The case took six years since INC filed the complaint in February 2019. The case was filed in Winnipeg and not in Vancouver where Menorca is residing.
“This is a pivotal moment for all Filipinos who believe in justice, good governance and the separation of church and state,” Menorca told Philippine Canadian News in an interview.
The 48-year old Vancouver resident and father of two called the decision the “best birthday gift…” from our Lord God…I am truly humbled, thankful and grateful,” he said in a Facebook post.
Menorca is the central figure in the CBC documentary Fifth Estate’s “Church of Secrets” released in 2018,which examined the church’s alleged financial corruption, kidnapping and murder. Menorca,who fled to Vancouver, B.C. in 2016 and sought refugee status for fear of his life, provided most of the documentary’s story. He was granted refugee status in 2018.
https://philippinecanadiannews.com/canada/breaking-iglesia-ni-cristo-inc-harasses-intimidates-cbc/
https://philippinecanadiannews.com/canada/former-iglesia-minister-fears-for-his-life/
The INC, or Church of Christ, is a 2.8-million-strong Christian group courted by Filipino politicians due to its bloc voting practice. Founded in 1914, it is the biggest Christian denomination in the Philippines, next to the 86-million-strong Roman Catholic Church.
“Whoever is calling the shots for INC has previously made a determined effort to use the court process to silence their critics,” said Champagne. “This conduct is unacceptable and reprehensible as it diminishes the court’s integrity and undermines confidence in the administration of justice.”
“I am just one of the defendants, but there are still a lot of people, especially there in the Philippines and other countries, who are still being persecuted and oppressed. For them to know that justice prevailed today means that there is hope, that the truth will eventually come out, and it will vindicate a lot of people who are still suffering up to this day,” Menorca told Rappler in an interview.