A Protestant pastor who says he was tortured while being detained in the Philippines has warned of widespread killings and other attacks against church members in the Asian nation.

Berlin Guerrero of the United Church of Christ testified last week for the United Nations Committee against Torture, amid reports of executions and other abuses carried out by the Philippines’ military. Victims have been accused of supporting rebel groups opposing the government. “Church people have not been spared from torture,” Guerrero told the UN Committee

Despite assurance from police authorities that a demonic cult does not exist, hundreds of residents from villages in the Philippines evacuated to safer areas for fear they might fall victims to the alleged cult members.

Residents of Barangays Rodero, Kisante, Malasila, and New Bulatukan claimed they received reports that bonnet-wearing men are hunting down some 100 women as offering to their supernatural leader.

Fishermen or members of a cult group could be behind the recent stealing of the head and two hands of the Blessed Virgin Dolorosa, patron saint of the St. Paul Parish Church, in Cauayan, Negros Occidental, police said yesterday.

GENERAL SANTOS CITY - Police in Sultan Kudarat have started looking for a cave where hundreds of children were allegedly being held captive by a cult.

NARRA -- The prosperous town of Narra was planning to promote itself as an ecotourism destination but instead has gained notoreity for a grisly cannibalism case that has shocked the Philippines.

Puerto Princesa - Filipino police have arrested four people for murdering a wedding guest, roasting and eating parts of the body and serving some of the remains at the reception, they said on Wednesday.