‘Teacher’ Phuc was a monk before being detained

Police of Soc Trang City, Soc Trang Province are investigating and clarifying activities related to Mr. Ho Huu Phuc (49 years old, living in Ward 4, Soc Trang City). On March 21, Mr. Phuc was detained by the investigating agency for 3 months for the crime of child abuse.

Arbitrarily setting up Tri Duc Song Dinh base

According to the Executive Board of the Vietnamese Buddhist Sangha in Soc Trang province, a few years ago, Mr. Ho Huu Phuc established Tri Duc Song Dinh campus at house number 849 Le Dai Hanh Street, Ward 4, Soc Trang City. This person has the self-proclaimed name Thien Tri.

Mr. Phuc used to be a monk at Nang Nhon Pagoda in Soc Trang City, with the legal name Thich Thien Duc. In 2015, he was allowed by the Executive Board of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Soc Trang City to complete his religious life according to his personal wishes.

Inside Tri Duc Song Dinh campus. Image: Viet Tuong.

Mr. Ho Huu Phuc then went to Song Dinh area to buy land and build Tri Duc Song Dinh base. This is his residence, but Mr. Phuc places many Buddha statues and organizes daily religious activities according to Northern Buddhism rituals.

In addition, Mr. Phuc also used the image of Buddhism to mobilize, call for charity and sponsors from benefactors inside and outside the province. Many people have supported money and material for Phuc to maintain the operation of Tri Duc Song Dinh facility. In particular, Mr. Phuc used images of monks and Buddhists to receive authorization to participate in lawsuits.

The Executive Board of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Soc Trang province believes that this person has seriously affected the prestige and image of the church, adversely affecting the normal religious activities of monks and nuns, Buddhists in pagodas and monasteries. The Board of Directors affirmed that Mr. Phuc and the people living at Tri Duc Song Dinh campus are not monks, dignitaries, or monks.

“The Tri Duc Song Dinh facility is not a monastery or a place of worship of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha. All religious activities here are illegal, inconsistent with the rules and regulations of the Church. It is recommended that monks and nuns propagate to local Buddhists about illegal activities at Tri Duc Song Dinh campus, not to come here to conduct religious rites, “leader of the Board of Directors. The Vietnamese Buddhist Sangha of Soc Trang province proposed.

Agricultural product business registration

As noted by Zing, Phuc’s Tri Duc Song Dinh campus is located next to the foot of Mac Dinh Chi bridge, towards Tran De district. This facility has a large campus, 3 entrance gates, inside there are many Buddha statues.

Seeing a stranger enter the main gate, a young man and a woman in her 40s asked. When the reporter wanted to find Mr. Phuc, the young man said that “the teacher” was away.

The investigation agency served the arrest warrant for Mr. Ho Huu Phuc. Image: Hoai Nhan.

The owner of the beauty parlor opposite Tri Duc Song Dinh said that every day a woman buys and sells agricultural products for Phuc. There is also a signboard for trading tanks, a specialty agricultural product of Soc Trang.

Mr. Do Chi Tam, Head of the People’s Committee of Hamlet 6, Ward 4, Soc Trang City, said that Mr. Phuc has a license to trade in a variety of agricultural products. When the tax office came to work, this person asked not to pay tax because the business was not efficient.

“Mr. Phuc buys tanks and some agricultural products from local people at a higher price than the market to build trust. This place used to register OCOP products for tubs. After Phuc was arrested, the orphans here were taken away by the authorities,” said Mr. Tam.

Soc Trang City Police also determined that Mr. Phuc adopted many orphans and children with difficult circumstances. During the upbringing, the accused repeatedly used household items to hit the children, causing injury.

Some children could not stand Phuc’s abuses, so they left. Knowing this, their relatives reported it to the police.

According to Zing