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By Ben Balce

AN alleged cult leader who accused regional state prosecutor Jaime Umpa of car theft is in hot water after another teenager came forward and filed a complaint against him over his alleged abuses.

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Jose Elbina, leader of the Zamboanga del Sur-based group Qahal Qadesh Am Foundation Temple, was earlier accused by a teenager from this city of human trafficking.

On Friday, “Anna,” 15, joined 16-year old “Jenny” (not their real names) in accusing Elbina of sexual abuse.

Elbina is reportedly called “shepherd,” “pastor,” “master,” and “uncle” by his followers.

Elbina was earlier slapped with a qualified human trafficking complaint before the provincial prosecutor’s office in Lanao del Norte. He is also facing charges of rape and illegal detention of minors at a 20-hectare “temple” in in Barangay Maghikay, Aurora, Zamboanga de Sur.

The two alleged victims faced reporters on Friday and detailed how Elbina allegedly turned them into virtual sex slaves.

Anna, who is from Molave, Zamboanga del Sur, said she was five years old when she was brought to Elbina’s temple. She said she was raped when she turned 13 in 2012.

“He summoned me to his room and raped me that night. He told me that by offering my ‘purity’ to him, I have been saved already from hell,” said Anna, adding that she was repeatedly abused after that night.

“There was nothing I could do,” she said.

She also alleged that Elbina always had a gun with him.

There was a time when shots were fired at her and she nearly got “sliced” with a chainsaw which were part of the initiation to the cult, she alleged.

Anna said she recalled how an erring boy’s finger was cut and she and other children were made to drink it from a glass.

Elbina was earlier accused of human trafficking by 16-year old Jenny who is from this city.

Jenny also filed a complaint against one of her aunts, a cult member who allegedly brought her to Elbina’s temple in 2013 as an “offering.”

Like Anna, she also alleged that she was forced to have sex with Elbina.

Anna alleged that whenever she was reluctant or refused to have sex with the cult leader, he would scold her and order her to kneel down and pray for forgiveness.

“‘Shepherd’ told me that I committed a sin for disobeying him,” Anna said.

The girls, who are relatives, are now being taken care of by a common aunt at Consolacion, this city.

“Elbina should be arrested. The two rape victims need justice,” the girls’ aunt Gina said.

She said the two girls escaped from the temple together by running as fast as they could with no destination in mind.

Incidentally, the allegations against Elbina surfaced just days after he filed a complaint against regional prosecutor Umpa for allegedly stealing his car.

Umpa, for his part, strongly denied the accusation, saying the car belonged to his wife and Elbina bought it from suspected carnappers.

Elbina could not be reached for comment at presstime.

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