Ang Dating Daan

Ang Dating Daan
Genre	Religious broadcasting
Starring	Eliseo Soriano, Daniel Razon various contributors
Country of origin	Philippines
Original languages	Filipino, Tagalog, English
No. of episodes	n/a
Production
Producer	Members Church of God International
Production location	Apalit, Pampanga
Camera setup	multicamera setup
Running time	1 hour
Original release
Network	IBC-13
Release	1980 (on Radio)- present 1983 (on Television) – present

Ang Dating Daan (Tagalog for "The Old Path") is a religious radio and television program in the Philippines produced by Members Church of God International and hosted by Brother Eli Soriano.

Background

The program started in 1980 on radio then in 1983 on television as a 3-minute block timer on Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation with a shoe-string budget. The program currently airs live via satellite through the facilities of UHF Channel UN Television and various radio stations such as DZXL-RMN, DZRH and 100 Radyo Natin FM Stations. While mainly broadcasting in Filipino, some English language elements were added for foreign viewers, including “Truth in Focus”, “Biblically Speaking”, “How Authentic the Bible is”, and “Bible Guide”. It also features the use of multi-lingual and multi-dialectic translations of the Bible.

Ang Dating Daan denies several doctrines such as the Trinity [1] and salvation by grace alone. The program frequently criticizes various denominations for their doctrines, practices and what it says are false teachings, including the Catholic Church, Pentecostal Denominations, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventist Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and especially the Iglesia ni Cristo, (Church of Christ founded by Felix Manalo), a Philippine-based religion. In response, Iglesia ni Cristo created a counter program, Ang Tamang Daan ("The True Path") answering Soriano's allegations on the show.

In June 2005, Soriano filed a complaint with the Philippine Commission on Human Rights against MTRCB's (Movie and Television Review and Classification Board) decision to ban the program and its hosts from appearing on TV due to complaints filed by the Iglesia ni Cristo,.

In April, 2009 the Supreme Court of the Philippines upheld the suspension imposed by the MTRCB against the TV program Ang Dating Daan. The suspension stemmed from remarks made by Eliseo Soriano on an August 10, 2004 broadcast against Iglesia ni Cristo ministers which MTRCB deemed as offensive and obscene. In 2010, the Supreme Court rules in finality upholding the suspension order.

Controversies and Legal Problems

• Pampanga provincial prosecutor Jaime Umpa filed rape charges against televangelist Eliseo Soriano. Soriano allegedly sodomized a former leader of his organization in two occasions. Soriano denied the charges and said it was only a part of a "demolition job" perpetrated by his former partners in Members Church of God International. The charges were made by Daniel Veridiano, former assistant secretary of Soriano's group called Members Church of God International. Details of allegedly rape were outlined in the complaint which the complainant claimed happened twice, once in 1998 and once in 2000. Veridiano further alleged that he saw Soriano doing similar things to other workers of Ang Dating Daan. In his counter affidavit, Soriano said the accusations were baseless and malicious. He also disputed that Veridiano was ever a secretary of his group. He said Veridiano also misappropriated church funds when he(Veridiano) was head of the communication and I.T. department. Soriano further alleged the rape charge were made by Veridiano because he expelled the latter from his group.

• In November 2006, an arrest warrant against Eliseo Soriano was issued by Judge Lucina Dayaon, Macabebe, RTC Branch 54. Eliseo Soriano on June 21, 2008, posted P 240,000 bail for another 2 counts of rape, before Judge Silvino Pampilo, Jr., Manila Regional Trial, after surrendering to a police Station 10 jailer Jun Gumaruin, Pandacan, Manila to avoid being apprehended. The indictment or criminal "Information" states that: "Soriano took advantage of his moral ascendancy and/or influence to direct his subordinate to come into his room, massage him and have anal intercourse, around 1:30 p.m. of May 17, 2000. The sexual acts were done against the will and consent, and to the damage and prejudice of the complainant, who was also a religious officer of his sect." Gumaru said: "He was not into hiding, and he was not arrested." Manila Standard Today however, reported that Regional State Prosecutor Jaime Umpa, as Pampanga assistant provincial prosecutor, was instrumental in the filing of criminal cases against Eliseo Soriano.

• In February 2008, Apalit Municipal officials led by Mayor Oscar Tetangco Jr led the closure of at least four buildings inside the MCGI compound in Barangay Sampaloc, Apalit, Pampanga. The buildings include a chapel, museum and two residential houses, which were constructed without building permits, municipal officials said. The resolution stated that the Municipality of Apalit received numerous reports from insiders, former members and workers of MCGI, that a portion of the property was being utilized for burial purposes without any approved documents from the local government. The church claimed that there were only 2 graves and that they were the bodies of Mr. Soriano's parents. The Apalit municipal treasurer also stated that MCGI failed to pay its real property taxes for the years 2006 until 2007. This followed a series of lawsuits directed at the church from former members, as well as the church's television programs being taken off the air in 2005. The church has also had conflict with Muslims, and at one point a grenade was thrown into the MGCI compound, after incendiary comments made by Soriano, against Muslims, were broadcast on Philippine television.

• In September 2008, Eliseo F. Soriano was charged with falsification of public document. The head of Ang Dating Daan evangelist group Eliseo "Eli" Soriano and two others were charged with falsification of public document at the Manila City Prosecutor's Office for allegedly faking the certificate of detention in order to post bail for his rape charges.

Program Segments

• Ang Dating Daan: By Demand
• Ang Dating Daan: Bible Exposition Worldwide
• Bible Guide
• Biblically Speaking with Bro. Eli Soriano
• Itanong mo kay Soriano, Biblia Ang Sasagot ("Ask Soriano, the Bible Will Answer")
• Kontradiksiyon ba? ("Is it a Contradiction?")
• Thanksgiving Day
• Truth In Focus

See also

• Religion in the Philippines
• D'X-Man

External links

• UNTV Channel 37

Official links

• Ang Dating Daan Official Web Site
• MCGI Official Web Site
• About MCGI
• Bro. Eli Soriano Official Website
• Good News Online - The Old Path
• TruthCaster
• ADD Community Portal

Commentary (critical)

• Ang Dating Daan: An Old Path Incarnate Again, by Ben Douglass