O Brother Where Art Thou? Synthesis

Jesse | Feb 17, 2009

“A flash in the pan!”

When applied to a person, this idiom means the person rose to success in a short period of time but then it disappears just as quickly.

Such is what happened to Televangelist Eliseo Fernando Soriano. Hounded by a multitude of legal problems, the self-proclaimed “pantas”or wise man,  is nowhere to be found. Gone are his daily pompous, arrogant and frequently wet (as in spit) diatribes on anything and everything. He is now reduced to blogging and not a successful one at that. Abandoning his followers to his underlings, he is said to be hiding out somewhere in the U.S. What happened to this once semi-popular false prophet?

Who is Eli?

Eliseo Fernando Soriano

Eli Soriano is the leader of the cult currently named Members Church of God International. Eliseo Fernando Soriano, aka Brod Eli was born on April 4, 1947 to parents Triumpo Soriano and Catalina Fernando in Pasay, Rizal. His parents where members of the Iglesia ng Dios kay Kristo Hesus, Haligi at Suhay ng Katotohanan and his father was then the General Secretary and Treasurer. This religion was then headed by Nicolas Perez. For some reason, Eli grew up with his Auntie Toyang who was a devout Catholic and taught Eli catholic doctrines including praying to idols and reciting “Ama Namin”.

At some point his father told him to come to a worship service at his father’s church. He initially did not want to go but his father threatened to throw him out of a window which scared him enough to go. He went to Pasay with his father where he heard Nicolas Perez preached. He was later baptized to his father’s church in Bacoor, Cavite by Filomeno Hizon, a leading and trusted minister of Perez. This is where he started to transform himself into televangelist.

Poor in life, poor in spirit

Even early on in his life and career, money had always been an issue with Eli. To pay his debt and support himself, he started cooking meals to sell. To his own admittance, he said he would gather rotten vegetables thrown away by market vendors and make these into lumpia which he would then sell for human consumption. He would later boast that this was a great idea because his profit margins is high. He also raised chickens and pigs in the back of the house he lived in. As his business grew and economic situation improved, he would engage in money loaning schemes.

In 1980, Eli began broadcasting on radio and in 1983 he had his first television program. He and his program ‘Ang Dating Daan’ became popular specially his ‘Itanong mo kay Soriano’ portion. He seemed unstoppable. As his popularity grew his tongue became even sharper and his tirade harser. But such is justice. His perceived eloquence which brought him success and popularity was the same instrument that would lead to his downfall.

Evil doer

After calling them ‘killers’, Muslims converged at the Plaza Miranda in Quiapo to protest. However, by this time Eli has already fled the country because of other legal problems. The Muslims then filed a P1 billion libel suit against Eli.

In 2006, Eli was charge with rape and was placed under the Bureau of Immigration watch list but it was too late because Eli has already fled. Eli was earlier accused forcing a male follower to have homosexual sex with him. An arrest warrant was subsequently issued. By now, Eli has an Interpol wanted poster. So far, Eli’s location is still unknown and he’s still a fugitive from the law.

Where is Eli now? Some people know but would not dare say. He is running from justice, his flock untended and his “empire” in ruins. Although he has many properties in his name, he does not have the freedom to enjoy such because he is in hiding. How far has this once semi-popular televangelist have fallen? Where he will end up, no one knows. What is known is that for him, the end had only begun.