A Catholic prelate has cast doubt on testimony delivered before a Senate panel this week, stating plainly that the religious order to which a prominent drug-war critic belongs operates no house of worship at the location described by a witness.
Bishop Elias Ayuban of the Diocese of Cubao addressed the matter on Friday, pointing out that the Society of the Divine Word — the missionary congregation of Fr. Flaviano “Flavie” Villanueva — maintains no church along Mindanao Avenue, the spot a witness had identified during Thursday’s proceedings.
The dispute traces back to claims made by a group of 18 individuals presenting themselves as former Marines. As reported by GMA News and Philstar, one of them told senators that he personally handed an envelope of cash to Villanueva at a church on Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City. “Si Father Flavie ay hinatiran ko ng pera doon sa Mindanao Ave. Isang sobre ‘yun, sir,” the witness said, adding that the alleged handover took place “Sa mismong simbahan niya, sir, sa gilid ng kalsada.” A separate accusation alleged that a suitcase of money was delivered to him at an address logged as “33 Clemente.”
Ayuban, in his Friday remarks, framed the episode as a question of guarding against false information. “Let us then be vigilant in seeking and speaking the truth, for falsehood is never from God. Let us work together to combat disinformation and uphold the truth with charity and responsibility,” he wrote.
The accusations emerged during a Senate inquiry into supposed anomalies in flood-control spending. According to LiCAS News, the session went forward despite resistance from chamber leaders following a reorganization of Senate posts, and was chaired by Senator Pia Cayetano.
The Arnold Janssen Kalinga Foundation, the non-profit Villanueva established in 2015, rejected the testimony in a statement issued Thursday evening. The group said the supposed dealings “never occurred” and challenged the factual footing of the church claim. “No specific church was identified, and no SVD parish, church, or ministry center exists along Mindanao Avenue, Quezon City that matches the witness’s description,” the statement read. The foundation also branded the suitcase allegation a fabrication unsupported by evidence.
Speaking by phone, the priest himself was dismissive. “Plain lunacy. Absurd. Completely detached from reality,” Villanueva told LiCAS News when asked about the testimony.
Villanueva, a recipient of the 2025 Ramon Magsaysay Award, has long been associated with ministering to families of those killed in the campaign against illegal drugs under detained former President Rodrigo Duterte. His foundation indicated it has begun pursuing legal remedies against the accusers, signaling its intent to hold accountable anyone it believes gave false testimony under the cover of a Senate appearance.
