The Senate on Thursday cited in contempt four high-ranking members of the alleged cult group Socorro Bayanihan Services Incorporated, or SBSI, over their denial that forced marriages of minors had happened in Sitio Kapihan, Socorro town in Surigao del Norte.

Senator Risa Hontiveros made the motion after Quilario and the others repeatedly denied that forced marriages of minors happened and were facilitated by Socorro Bayanihan Service Inc., despite the testimonies of child witnesses present at the hearing.

"I respectfully move to cite in contempt Jey Rence Quilaro, Mamerto Galanida, Janeth Ajoc, and Karren Sanico," Senator Risa Hontiveros said after hearing testimonies of child witnesses at the hearing.

With no objection from the members of the Committee of Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa ordered the detention of the four individuals at the Office of Seargent-at-Arms in the Senate.

Speaking at the hearing, a member of the alleged cult group, alias Jane, narrated how she was forced to marry a fellow member at the age of 14.

Alias Jane directly pointed to Quilario as the one who chose her 18-year-old husband. She added that they were forced to have sex after being married or be accused of disobeying "God."

She added that her mother, despite being married to her father, was also forced to marry another fellow member.

Jane said she decided to run away from the village due to the unwanted marriage and forced labor that she had experienced throughout her stay in Sitio Kapihan under Senyor Agila's leadership.

Hontiveros sought the probe under Senate Resolution 797 on the cases of rape, sexual abuse, forced labor and child marriage perpetrated by the Socorro Group.

The Senate panel found out that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources cannot go inside the SBSI community to conduct regular monitoring and evaluation.