Written by Celso Bagay, October 10, 2015
In response to to the damaging remarks hurled by Mr. Willy Santiago against me during our worship service held on a Sunday, September 27, 2015 accusing me of sowing discord among members in front of the congregation to whom he preaches, I am writing this article so that anybody who reads the passages written therein, will know that we together with my family and friends and relatives who use to be co-members of the church organization led my Mr. Willy Santiago are no longer connected with him. We no longer recognize his leadership in the church wherein he preaches and we believe that he has no more moral authority to lead over us since we believe that he has committed a great sin against God. Please read the following messages as I have decided not to keep silent on the said issues as I now know the true character of Willy Santiago and what he is capable of doing.
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| Willy Santiago |
First of all I would like to tell all of you of how Willy Santiago and I met. My wife upon arriving home from a 3-day Pasalamat festival held in Apalit, Pampanga told me that Willy Santiago was expelled from the ANG DATING DAAN or ADD, as announced by its leader himself Bro EFS for some reasons and that the leadership instructed its members to avoid communicating with Willy Santiago to avoid being mislead by him. One of the reasons my wife told me why Willy Santiago was expelled is that she also heard that he is a bad husband who is capable of beating his wife Jane aside from not recognizing the authority or the leadership of ADD. I did not believe that these accusations are true and I considered them as baseless and one-sided. So I tried to look for him asking some people where he lives or stays, until one day a close friend of mine, also a member of ADD happens to meet Mr. Bal Roque also from ADD who is then very close to Willy Santiago for some reasons. The friend of mine gave my cel number to Mr. Roque and told him to tell Willy Santiago to call me asap, and that is how it started. Our first meeting is in McDonald’s South Supermarket Malolos after he attended a court hearing, together with him is Mr. Edwin Benales his personal driver who also separated from ADD. The hearing he attended is related to the petition for annulment he filed against his common law wife, Ms Jane Angeles. We often met together until one time he introduced to me a woman who happens to be his other woman which he took after he was separated with Ms Jane Angeles. She is Ms Grace Roque a daughter of Mr Bal Roque and by then she already had a daughter by Willy Santiago, the first fruit of their relationship.
Upon seeing the woman who was with him, he explained to me that she met her during the days when he was devastated when his wife, Jane Angeles left him secretly taking with her his two children abroad via Singapore and eventually to Brazil where Mr. Soriano stays. He told me that having met the woman is a grace from God since she helped him a lot to recover his state of emotions and with it he was then able to preach again. By that time I did not question the legality of his marital condition having taken another wife while still tied to Ms Jane Angeles thru legal marriage by whom Mr. Soriano himself officiated and also I have no doubt by then if his having a new wife does not contradict with God’s commandments considering and knowing that he is a preacher of God who should be familiar with God’s Laws.
During that time I have known that his place of preaching or chapel is in Bgy. Tambubong, San Rafael Bulacan which was then transferred to Bgy. Ulingao, San Rafael Bulacan both of which are rented until eventually the place of worship and teaching was transferred to Malolos, Bulacan wherein a new chapel has been built at our own expense in a lot owned also by our family. Since it was built by us for the intent of serving God and being a member of the Church of God myself and my family, the use of the chapel is free-of-charge. From that time and after almost two years Bro Willy lived there at a residential facility inside the chapel and inside the compound with his new wife and daughter together also with the family of her new wife.
While staying there, I have observed the way they live and also the character of Willy Santiago being a preacher which I expect him to emulate the humility shown by our Lord Jesus Christ. In reality he had shown partiality to the members always favoring his immediate family members and persons close to him in many instances. He is hot-tempered, easily angered and he speaks most of the time in a manner as giving commands. He does not accept advice even from older people like me even if it is necessary. He likes to attack his former religion especially his former teacher and the nephew who is now second in rank at ADD. He insulted me by calling a secret meeting in Laguna just to malign me which was revealed to me by someone but which he did not even considered his actions against me as a mistake saying most of the time that he is the leader and the preacher and we must always follow him whatever he wishes.
He becomes upset when asked about reports on financial issues especially the voluntary contributions of church members which he is taking all by himself for his own use and his second family, and also about the issue of the contributions he received from abroad the amount and use he kept secret up to now with regards to the amount and how he uses it. The inquiry about the contribution from abroad by some church members resulted in the suspension and eventually expulsion of these members, but he used another reason to divert from the true issue. He referred to the issue of family mismanagement by Bro. Ting Salvador for having a disobedient son when in fact it is Willy Santiago as a leader and preacher is not able to control his second illegal family who is living with him inside the chapel compound also free-of-charge. In addition other members who were with Mr. Salvador in questioning the amount and use of the funds were also expelled like Edwin Benales and his family and the family of Mr. Ting Salvador.
I always complain to him the sister and the brother of her uncommon law wife Grace about the abuse in using the church facilities, i.e., computers, lightnings, electric fans, and also the wasteful use of water which are consuming a considerable amount of electricity. Since the money that is used to pay for the electric bills for the use of electricity in church activities like worship service, computers, etc. is shouldered by our family, it is just proper for us to complain. Again, I would like to inform the reader that all the voluntary contributions given by church members local and abroad including donations by guests during congregations is taken wholly by Mr. Willy Santiago. Sometimes, he gives me some small amount just to show a little concern on paying electric bills. But the abuse of his second family continues including him.
Furthermore, on my recommendation that the voluntary contributions of church members be held by the council organized in the church that it be used solely to pay for church expenses which was agreed upon unanimously was finalized to be implemented. A meeting of the council was then held to discuss the needs of the preacher Willy Santiago, i.e., where it will come from after the church contributions is taken out of his control. I have proposed during the meeting that Willy Santiago be given a P20,000 monthly allowance which is P8,000 higher than what he requested before which is only P12,000. Nobody opposed but the other wife of Mr. Bal Roque interceded on Mr. Santiago’s behalf that an additional P6,000 be provided that will provide his all other needs. Again nobody opposed and therefore it is considered final. But before the meeting adjourned, Mr. Santiago requested for another P5,000 as an emergency fund to be used on emergency situations but he shall submit a written liquidation and justification whenever the emergency fund is used-up before he can request for a replenishment. The average collection or the amount of contributions in the church amounts to about P8,000 a week and is just equivalent to his monthly allowance, so nothing is left to pay for direct expenses like electricity, water, telephone, internet, etc.
During the council’s next meeting Mr. Santiago told us that the emergency fund has been used-up and he is requesting for a replenishment, but upon seeing the details of the liquidation, the items written are: toll gate fees, food expenses, etc. which for educated people or even ordinary people cannot be considered an emergency. By the way, his allowance of P26,000 is shouldered by our family, 70%, and the rest which is 30% is shouldered by the family of Melvin Duag as we have agreed upon. These issue on the emergency fund draws controversy- an abuse of discretion is committed by Mr. Santiago on the improper use of emergency funds. When I discussed this issue to another member he branded me as a gossiper. Another thing, Mr. Santiago has the cravings to get rich quickly whatever the means at the expense of other people. While in the middle of the construction of our the chapel he ordered a halt to its construction as if he is the one spending and told me to construct a “Liquid Fertilizer Factory” at our own lot and at our expense. For two months the construction of the factory proceeded and after it was finished I was told to put up a capital to buy the raw materials for the fertilizer to be produced. I have spent more than P500,000 in that factory including the cost of raw materials but it did not went well and therefore the factory was eventually closed and the capital I invested was gone. After about a year I was requested again to put up an additional capital for another batch of production, but this time the requirement is bigger. I refused the request saying that my focus is now on completing the construction of the chapel for the church. There are more issues about to discuss about Willy but due to the length of this article I will pause temporarily. During meetings he demands that he be recognized as the highest in the council and should be accorded respect at all circumstances and he removes and appoints officers whenever and whoever he pleases.
But this time I can no longer tolerate his bad attitudes towards me and the other members including my family,. He is even worse than his former teacher as he is saying as evil. With his bad and dishonorable acts, he is unbecoming of a leader and a preacher of God who most of the time preaches in the church topics that only delivers his own intentions and not the will of God. His desire to gain money from preaching and to become rich has shown what kind of preacher he is- a false teacher doing the wishes of his father the devil who is the father of lies, John 8:44, maligning persons with weak faith to believe that he is not committing sin when he took another wife, justifying himself as clean while maligning the words of even our Lord Jesus Christ in Mat. 19:9.
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| Willy Santiago's YouTube program |
During our live radio program titled “ANG SAGOT NG BIBLIA, BASA!”, a question arrived thru tex from a listener named John Paras. His question is this, “What is the Law of God with regards to Marriage and Divorce?” Simultaneous with this question he read a message from his facebook account that Giovani Ayo a former member of ADD had already died of cancer. Mr Ayo was also separated from his wife in a manner similar to him. Mr. Ayo’s wife was also commanded by his former teacher to separate with her husband even if he had cancer since he is the one responsible for uploading in the internet the video of the birthday party of EFS which showed him getting as much as $400k in one night alone. Mr. Santiago always attack his former teacher verbally especially on the way he earns money when in truth he is only envy of him and wants to be rich also in any way he can in the guise of a preacher.
He then continued the story by telling what Ms Jane Angeles did in response to the voice or advice of his former teacher that she together with their two children left him secretly by traveling abroad via Singapore then eventually to Brazil where EFS now stays. He then emphasized that his wife Ms Jane Angeles made the first move that resulted in their separation as husband and wife showing that his case is similar to the case of Mr Giovani Ayo. Following this remarks, he then took his bible and read the verses in Mat 19: 3-10 which reads, Mat.19:3 – “The Pharisees also came to Him, tempting Him, and saying unto Him, is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for any cause?” Mat.19:4 – “And He answered and said unto them, Have you not read, that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female”, Mat.19:5 – “And said, for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: And the two shall become one flesh” Mat:19:6 “Wherefore they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together LET NO MAN SEPARATE.” Mat.19:7 – “They say unto Him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and put her away?” Mat.19:8 – “He said unto them, Moses, because of the hardness of your heart allowed you to put away your wives: BUT FROM THE BEGINNING IT WAS NOT SO.” Mat.19:9- “AND I SAY UNTO YOU, WHOEVER SHALL PUT AWAY HIS WIFE, EXCEPT IT BE FOR FORNICATION AND SHALL MARRY ANOTHER, COMMITETH ADULTERY: AND WHOSO MARRIETH HER WHICH IS PUT AWAY COMMITET ADULTERY.” Mat.19:10-“His disciples say unto Him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good for the man to marry.”
A follow-up question from the listener arrives, asking” Did Jane Angeles married another man or did she committed adultery when she left you bringing your two children with her to abroad?” This time he avoided to answer the question and just repeated what he already said before that Jane herself made the first move that resulted in their separation or their living apart. Now, about God’s Law on marriage and divorce, let us study the scriptures, let us read and examine them. Let us dig deeper into what the scriptures say to know if Willy Santiago is clean in the eyes of God when he took another wife after his common law wife left him.
His first defense is 1 Cor 7: 15 which reads as follows- “But if the unbelieving partner depart, let him/her depart, the brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God called us to peace.” This verse is used by some to justify that remarriage is allowed if the unbeliever departs on his or her own will. If this is so, it will then contradict with the following verses: Mat.5:31-32 which reads as follows-”It was also said, that whoever divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce, But I say unto you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. Also Rom.7:2 – “For the woman who is married is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives, but if the husband is dies, she is loosed from the law to her husband. Also 1 Cor 7:39-“The wife is bound by law as long as the husband lives, but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to marry whom she pleases: but only in the Lord.” Also 1 Cor 7:11–“But if the woman departs, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.” Both Willy Santiago and Jane Angeles his common law wife still lives and is bound by the law of marriage even if they are living separately, but in Willy’s case at present wherein he had taken another wife with whom he had a daughter it is clear that he could be guilty of transgression of the law.
He then again mentioned the word “Not Under Bondage” as mentioned in 1 Cor 7:15 which he concludes to mean that he can remarry. The words “Not under Bondage” only implies that the believer if Willy refers to himself, is not enslaved by his marriage to Jane whom he refers to as the unbeliever, which allows the unbeliever or Jane to depart as she wishes to avoid quarrel or conflict inside their house for the reason that, “God called us to peace”. The unbeliever therefore has the freedom to live a separate life or be apart from her husband but not for the purpose of remarrying. We as a reader of the scriptures should not put additional words into Paul’s mouth or in the scriptures by saying that anyone can remarry based on the words “not under bondage”. It is not proper to add words in the scriptures as warned by God in many instances. It is also clear in 1 Cor 7:27 saying that, “If a man is freed from his commitment to his wife, he should not look for another wife.”
Focusing again on the words spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ in Mat. 19:3-9 which says in verse 3, The pharisees are asking our Lord Jesus Christ that “Is it lawful for a man to put away or divorce his wife for every cause or reason?”, meaning, all known reasons. Our Lord Jesus Christ our God then answered, Mat 19:4- “Have you not read, that He that made them at the beginning, made them male and female”,Mat 19:5- “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and live together with his wife and the two shall become one flesh.” Mat 19:6- “Therefore, they are no longer two but one flesh. What God, therefore, has joined together let no man separate.” With these verses, we can see that God is the principal author of marriage between a male and a female, they are two persons but united by God together into one flesh. God himself gave a warning that says, “What has God, therefore has joined together, let no man put them apart.”
When the pharisees ask our Lord Jesus Christ another question which says, “Why did Moses gave a command of divorce in writing to put the wife away. Our Lord answered in verses Mat. 19:8-9 which says, – “Moses…because of the hardness of your hearts allowed you to put away your wives: BUT FROM THE BEGINNING IT WAS NOT SO.”“AND I SAY UNTO YOU, WHOEVER SHALL PUT AWAY HIS WIFE, EXCEPT IT BE FOR FORNICATION AND SHALL MARRY ANOTHER, COMMITS ADULTERY, AND WHOSO MARRIES THE WOMAN WHO IS PUT AWAY DOES COMMITS ADULTERY.”
In verse 8, our Lord Jesus Christ said that even if Moses gave a written command of divorcement to put away their wives, it is only because of the hardness of your heart and not because it is allowed by God. He then emphasized that in the beginning it is not allowed by God and Jesus Christ is our Lord and God. Referring to the case of Willy Santiago and his common law wife Jane, it is in fact Willy who took another wife and made the first move to legalize their separation by filing a written notice of divorce or “Declaration of Nullity of Their Marriage” in court in which in fact Jane is opposing at present. Although it cannot be denied that his wife Jane together with their two children left him, allegedly, by listening to the voice of another male(EFS) and going to the place where the said another male stays, does not mean that Jane already committed adultery which will give him the liberty to remarry. The probable cause or reason that his wife Jane left him is just to avoid daily argument and quarrel arising from disagreement to recognize their leader which is EFS who is being referred to by Willy as the other male, and Jane, by not filing by herself the divorce petition, we can only see that she may still be hoping that in the future they may be reunited. But since Willy filed first the petition for divorce or annulment of their marriage after having decided to take another wife, he has no more plan for a future reunification. Now going back to Mat.19:3 wherein the Pharisees ask our Lord Jesus Christ if it is lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause or simply all reasons, our Lord answered:”AND I SAY UNTO YOU, WHOEVER SHALL PUT AWAY HIS WIFE, EXCEPT IT BE FOR FORNICATION, AND SHALL MARRY ANOTHER, COMMITS ADULTERY, AND WHOSO MARRIES THE WOMAN WHO IS PUT AWAY COMMITS ADULTERY.”
THE FACT REMAINS, ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES THAT WE HAVE READ AND DISCUSSED, GOD ONLY PERMITS MAN TO REMARRY ONLY ON THE FOLLOWING REASONS:
– When the other partner dies
– When the wife committed fornication
The scripture also tells us in Mal 2:16 – “GOD HATES DIVORCE” OR Specifically, “FOR THE LORD, THE GOD OF ISRAEL, SAID THAT HE HATES PUTTING AWAY (Divorce).
Another thing which I have noticed in the circle of Willy Santiago, first as a preacher who is supposed to be familiar with God’s Laws who should be the leader in upholding these laws, I am regretful to see that he is the first one committing adultery by taking another wife for him, second, his supposed second father-in-law Mr. Bal Roque is living with another wife Ms. Cathy Roque who is the sister of his common law wife, third his brother Francis lives also with another wife, and Ka Pedeng Hipolito his cousin also has a very young partner at the age of 69. All of them are members of the church he organized and with them he was able to start preaching again. In the circle of Willy Santiago that I have mentioned before, I don’t see the “’Church of God” in the picture he is painting wherein he leads as a chief preacher- but in fact I see the atmosphere of adultery and immorality prevails around him. What I see is a church of idolaters and the leader is Willy—Follow the Leader!!!
It can then be concluded, according to the scriptures we have read and discussed, that Willy Santiago is guilty beyond reasonable doubt “OF TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW OF GOD” on MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE AND ADULTERY, second adding weight to his sin is he being a preacher who should be familiar with the Law of God, and third, he is adding fault or loophole in the Words spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ who is undoubtedly our God. TO GOD BE THE GLORY! Amen.
Lastly to the faithful,
“Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are savage wolves”. Mat.7:15.
“Now there were false prophets among the people, just as there also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction on themselves”.2Ptr2:1
“Ikaw nga na nagtuturo sa iba, hindi mo tinuturuan ang iyong sarili? Ikaw na ngangaral sa tao na huwag magnanakaw ay nagnanakaw ka?” Roma 2:21
“Ikaw na nagsasabing ang tao ay huwag mangalunya, ay nangangalunya ka? Ikaw na nasusuklam sa mga dios-diosan ay ninanakawan mo ang mga templo?” Roma 2:22
“Ikaw na nagmamapuri sa kautusan, sa iyong pagsuway sa kautusan ay niwawalan mo ng puri ang DIOS?” Roma 2:23
Bro. Celso F. Bagay, Jr.
“SO THAT THE PEOPLE MAY KNOW”.
Posted by Gerry Yabes, October 10, 2015.
