REDWOOD CITY, California – Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) is the only church Virginia-based Filipina Lilibeth Rose ever knew. She was born into it and was an active member for decades.

But when the INC leadership became embroiled in corruption allegations this year, Rose started questioning the INC leadership on her Facebook page. She claimed, her outspokenness got her expelled in August.

“Masyado silang matapang. Masyado silang mapang-api. Masyado silang gumagamit ng karahasan kasi maraming pera ang Iglesia ni Cristo. That’s fine. Pero naman dapat ginagamit nila ‘yun sa mabuting paraan,” she said.

When she was an INC member, Rose said she would donate thousands of dollars a year to the church. But when she was expelled, she wanted to take back what she donated to the church’s December worship service. The amount: $140.

“Yung $140 is nothing. Kaya lang iniisip ko lang kung ini-expel nila ako, hindi ko iyun maihahandog. It’s up to me to put it somewhere else, kung gusto kong ilagay sa iba, kung gusto kong iabuloy sa ibang church, that’s mine,” she pointed out.

She said she asked the church to return the money repeatedly. But she said the INC refused. So she filed a civil claim for money before a Virginia court. But last week, the court denied her petition. The judge reportedly pointed out that her donation was made voluntarily.

Even if she lost to the INC in court, she said she’s at peace. The point is, she said, was that she did not back down in this seemingly David versus Goliath fight.

“It’s all worth it. It’s all worth it for me. I’m a fighter. Pag may ginawa sa akin ang isang tao na di tama, I’ll fight for my right,” she expressed.

She corrected other media reports that said she was asking for all of her weekly donations to the church to be returned to her. She also denied reports that she was influenced by a group of disgruntled ex-INC members.

She stressed, “I have my own mind.”

She sent this message to a church she once belonged to, a church that defeated her in court: “Do you think it’s a win for the church na maraming tao ang nahihirapan ngayon? Napapasama nila ng loob? Is that a win? That’s not a win,” she said.

ABS-CBN News tried to get the side of the INC’s U.S. headquarters in Burlingame, California. They have yet to issue a statement.

SOURCE:

http://news.abs-cbn.com/global-filipino/12/18/15/fil-am-ex-inc-member-suing-church-was-a-matter-of-principle