Willy Santiago: A Perfect Example Nobody Should Imitate

Wilfredo Labao Santiago, better known as Willy Santiago, was arrested on February 13 for charges of document fraud involving the selling of two conjugal properties. He, along with three others, was served their warrants by virtue of a court order signed on January 6 this year.

Presiding Judge Mario Telan of the municipal court in Baliuag, Bulacan held the four liable for a criminal case of selling two lots worth Php 450,000. Jane Angeles, Santiago’s wife, told authorities that those lots were sold without her agreement. She was abroad when the transaction occurred, with Santiago falsifying her signature. This case will be tried in court for conspiracy and falsification of public documents.

What is this news all about and why is it relevant? It’s just another case of dishonesty committed by a hapless lot of greedy people, right? It is no way controversial as the pork barrel scam or despicable as the massacre of 44 SAF members in Maguindanao. However, truth is that great crimes begin from small misdeeds of people who have purged themselves of a good and clear conscience. They are those who have willingly given themselves to corruption and vile ambition. This story is just that.

Who is this Willy Santiago? Why is this article saying that he is a bad example? What significance will it do to anyone who reads and learns the circumstances of this story?

Wilfredo Santiago, or Willy Santiago, seemed
remorseless in this mugshot taken by police
a few hours after his capture. Santiago now
faces trial for fraud and conspiracy charges.

To begin with, Willy Santiago is an excommunicate from the Members Church of God International (MCGI), widely known for its program Ang Dating Daan (The Old Path) broadcast on TV, radio, and the Internet. Santiago was one of Bro. Eli Soriano’s Bible readers before he was expelled towards the end of 2009.

Santiago was excommunicated because of his extreme ambition and exceeding arrogance. Being a former Bible reader, he had a flair and skill for locating verses with speed, thanks to those years of learning from Bro. Eli. His association with the televangelist propelled his flight to the limelight, making him a TV personality and an object of impersonation by a popular gag show during the early 2000’s.

He enjoyed every moment of his newfound popularity. It’s not surprising if he felt confident and proud of himself. That went on for a few more years, until the wind changed its course.

The popularity he earned from TV viewers and from the MCGI congregation drove an air of sickness in his mind, a sickness that is not easily remedied. Santiago gloated in his status. He had a creeping ambition to seek a better position than to be a mere reader and follower. But like any rebel who plots to overthrow a government, he knew he still does not have the means to seize control.

He engaged in rumor mongering. All the while that MCGI Vice Presiding Minister Bro. Daniel Razon was providing him with a regular stipend so he would not have to work, Santiago had the nerve to accuse his spouse as a “Japayuki”, a coined term which means a “lewd performer working in Japan.” It is true that Bro. Daniel’s wife worked in Japan some few years ago, but as a member of a legitimate and professional Philippine cultural dance company, not the vulgar performer that Santiago had gossiped.

He was also heard by some that if an election for a Vice Presiding Minister would be held at the height of his popularity, he would gain the seat because he prided in himself being a fast Bible reader. He had always thought of replacing Bro. Daniel Razon, the very man who was supporting his bread.

Bolder ill feelings grew from Santiago when his visa was not approved. This was when Bro. Eli, along with some brethren, flew to the US to conduct Bible Expositions and to personally see the condition of the congregation there. He was the only one in the group whose visa was rejected. He then directed his resentment and sour-graping towards Bro. Daniel this time, when he secretly accused him of “pagpapa-pogi” before a few brethren. “Pagpapa-pogi” is a Filipino idiom loosely translated as “making oneself look more handsome by advancing one’s influence.”

When Bro. Eli was lingering abroad, visiting locales and conducting Bible Expositions, Santiago would flaunt his Bible reading agility before a few well-to-do audience, silently exerting his influence and winning them over to his side.

His once sour feelings turned bitter as he voiced out more unsympathetic words towards the Church ministers and his leaders. It became more apparent that he was targeting the highest position in the Church, that of the Presiding Minister. This was strengthened when some Church workers testified that Santiago spoke negatively about Bro. Eli’s prolonged stay abroad and that he was willing to teach in his place.

Santiago criticized Bro. Eli for purported inconsistencies in teaching. He had a particular distaste on the teaching about prayer, although this was not disclosed to the MCGI congregation until his expulsion in 2009.

It also turned out that the members whom Santiago had been influencing for some time possessed the same thinking he had. These few already had growing doubts in their mind which ballooned to greater suspicion because of Santiago.

Santiago continued leeching and milking his leaders. Although news of his backbiting reached Bro. Eli and Bro. Daniel from overseas, he was given a chance to mend his ways.

Santiago wasted the chance given to him. Instead of heeding to counsel, he continued in his schemes. The person who witnessed his suspicious actions was Jane Angeles, his wife. An active member of MCGI, Jane divulged how cunning Santiago is. She also told that while she was pregnant with their youngest, Santiago would beat and mock her. Despite the stipend given to him regularly, he refused Jane the budget for their child’s milk and would only hand her a meager amount for food.

Still, Santiago was given the chance to explain his side. But all efforts to communicate with him were in vain. It was learned that he had other plans in mind. More testimonies came from members who finally got their courage to speak about his abusive and arrogant behavior. Finally, the MCGI congregation came to a unanimous call, and that is to excommunicate Santiago.

Shortly after his expulsion, Santiago founded a religious organization which he registered in the Philippine securities under the name Members Church of God in Jesus Christ Worldwide. He also had registered it under a Spanish title Miembros dela Iglesia de Dios en Jesu Cristo en Todo El Mundo Inc. It is based in Malolos, Bulacan and to this date had not any single member baptized from abroad, despite that Santiago bragged it to be a global church.

It seemed that Santiago was relieved to be expelled from MCGI as his dream to become a leader came true. He had people believe and follow him. He was able to recruit expelled and suspended members of MCGI, and some from other religions who thought that Santiago’s was a charismatic Christian group. Later on, he used YouTube and Facebook to recruit more members and to populate the Internet with his attacks against Bro. Eli Soriano.

Santiago thought that the Internet will help him smear Bro. Eli. He didn't realize that using the Web would only hasten his downfall. As quick as his rise to the top, he was also struck down swiftly. Bro. Eli answered all the accusations that Santiago had presented before the online community. Sooner, his video postings became less and less. He fell silent at the face of Bro. Eli’s counter-arguments.

Eventually, some of Santiago’s members began to leave him when they realized that he was a fraud, inconsistent, and delinquent especially on money matters. Among them was a man named Caras who was also excommunicated from MCGI. The two were tight-knit as Caras was Santiago’s financier, and Santiago was Caras’ teacher. Time came and Caras left Santiago when the latter took another woman for a wife even though his first marriage was not annulled. Moreover, they had many unpleasant discourses about teachings. After their separation, Caras founded his church.

After losing his financier, Santiago instituted tithing to his members in order to sustain himself. Now that's irony! While he was still in MCGI, Santiago believed that tithing is a thing of the past. Now, he’s reverting to a 2000-year old teaching that is not anymore applicable in the modern Christian times. He’s doing it for plain lustful gain, milking his members and leeching them in every way he could.

Santiago’s capture reveals that when a person opens himself to lawlessness and power-lust, and abandons righteousness for fleeting worldly pleasures, dreadful consequences follow. A person who chooses to defy the truth will pay the price of rebellion. Santiago is only rightfully reaping what he had planted.

It is unfortunate to fall into disobedience when it is a lot easier to be dutiful to virtue. Santiago’s case is not grand and compelling as the stories of impiety told in epic proportions, but his case is akin to the biblical narrative. Does Isaiah chapter 14:12 ring a bell?

A conceited ambition that corrupts the heart and soul will lead to eternal punishment. God shall end the days of vain pride when He finally casts the ultimate verdict.

Now is the story relevant? I hope the question has been rightly answered.