By Recto Mercene From Business Mirror

THE Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) does not have an Airbus airplane, Spokesman Edwil Zabala said on Friday to squelch claims the church has an Airbus 330-202 that reportedly costs between P8.8 billion and P11 billion.

INC critics alleged the church transports its assets through the A330-202 from the United States to the Cayman Islands.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) denied having registered any INC-owned Airbus.

“Wala [none],” Caap Deputy Director General Rodante Joya replied in a text message when asked if the Caap had registered an Airbus owned by the INC.

However, airport sources said INC owns three Agusta helicopters.

The single-engine chopper has an approximate range of 305 kilometers while carrying 12 passengers. These helicopters could perform various roles such as VIP- or corporate-transport, fire-fighting, law enforcement, search and rescue, emergency medical service, disaster relief and maritime patrol.

Expelled former Minister Isaias Samson Jr. alleged that INC leaders have skimmed cash collections since 2011 and had them deposited from the US, “possibly in the Cayman Islands,” transported allegedly via the church-owned Airbus.

Caap records also indicate the INC had not registered any B-737 jet in the Philippines.

On Wednesday two former ministers denied the allegations that some of its officers maintained personal and unauthorized offshore bank accounts in the Cayman Islands or in Switzerland, and that its leaders were skimming cash off collections in the US.

“We follow protocols for the deposit of cash collections. We also have very stringent audit procedures, otherwise the church would not be granted tax-exempt status by the US government,” Zabala said in a statement.

He challenged expelled ministers Samson and Vincent Florida to prove that the church had offshore accounts in the Cayman Islands and in Switzerland.

“We are willing to sign a waiver. If they can prove that any of our INC leaders have offshore accounts in the Cayman Islands or in Switzerland, they can have the cash in all of them,” Zabala said.

Samson, whose earlier complaint for serious illegal detention against the INC leaders was earlier dismissed by the Department of Justice, alleged that there were irregularities in the handling of the church’s funds in the US.

For more on this story go to: http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/iglesia-ni-cristo-exec-denies-church-owns-pricey-airplane/

IMAGE: incmedia.org

See also iNews Cayman related story published December 1 2015 “Iglesia collections stashed in Cayman Islands?” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/iglesia-collections-stashed-in-cayman-islands/