Sara: Quiboloy deserves fair trial

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte has defended controversial Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy amid measures by lawmakers to make him show up during their inquiries into the pastor’s involvement in alleged human trafficking, sexual abuse and those involving the franchise of his broadcast network Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI).

In a statement broadcast by SMNI, Duterte called the attempts of the Senate and House of Representatives to hold the sect leader accountable an “injustice and outrageous.”

“My countrymen, I stand in solidarity with the call for the application of law and justice in the future issue of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and Sonshine Media Network (International). During the hearings, it seems that Pastor Quiboloy’s guilt has already been decided even though these hearings were based only on the allegations of witnesses who concealed their identity and could not prove their credibility,” the Vice President said.

The KOJC is being investigated by the Senate for allegations of rape and acts forcing church members to beg or sell goods on the streets to fund Quiboloy’s lifestyle.

Meanwhile, SMNI is being investigated by the House of Representatives for alleged franchise violations.

Duterte and her family have strong ties with Quiboloy, who is a friend and “spiritual adviser” of her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte.

The Vice President claimed that many believe that what Quiboloy is experiencing is a form of “persecution.”

“Many of us believe that what Pastor Quiboloy is suffering now is outrageous and unfair. Apart from the hearings that appear to be leading nowhere, it is also outrageous to indefinitely suspend the broadcasting network SMNI – an issue of media freedom,” the Vice President said.

“Incidents and allegations like these are no joke. He deserves to be given a fair fight and in the right court… Justice and the truth cannot be achieved in trial by publicity, but by a day in court,” she added.

No 17 conditions

In a related development, Quiboloy’s camp yesterday denied that the KOJC leader has imposed 17 conditions for him to attend the Senate hearing.

In a radio interview, Ferdinand Topacio, one of Quiboloy’s legal counsels, maintained that the sect founder has no intention to appear before the Senate women and gender committee chaired by Sen. Risa Hontiveros.

“A demand is not a demand if it is not officially addressed by the Senate through either Pastor Quiboloy or through his legal counsels since this is a formal proceeding of the Senate,” Topacio said in reaction to social media posts stating Quiboloy’s alleged 17 conditions.

“If it will be based on social media, why don’t they issue a subpoena on social media, and I don’t know why Sen. Hontiveros was furious,” Topacio added.

Quiboloy’s legal team will explain the side of the religious leader, according to Topacio.

“Sen. Hontiveros was too sensitive when she just read it on social media and yet she reacted. There were no demands. I don’t know about her claim that the Senate was ordered because there was no formal demand,” he said.

Topacio pointed out that no less than the Supreme Court (SC) ruled that the Senate cannot immediately issue a warrant of arrest against a resource person.

“There is no need yet for a warrant as what should come first is an explanation. This was according to none other than our Supreme Court,” the lawyer said.

He added that Quiboloy has no plan to attend the hearing of Hontiveros’ committee.

“This in relation to the aid of legislation of Sen. Hontiveros, but actually, in aid of persecution,” Topacio noted.

Senators Robinhood Padilla, Cynthia Villar, Imee Marcos, Bong Go and JV Ejercito have signed a written manifestation objecting to Quiboloy’s arrest. Ejercito later withdrew his signature.

At least eight signatures are needed to block the issuance of an arrest warrant against the KOJC leader.

During the Senate women and gender committee’s fourth hearing, Hontiveros cited Quiboloy in contempt and asked Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri to order his arrest.

Show cause order

For Zubiri, however, the Senate should accord Quiboloy a chance to explain to the Senate why he should not be cited in contempt before being ordered arrested.

In an ambush interview yesterday, Zubiri said he would talk to Hontiveros about issuing first a show cause order against Quiboloy before citing him in contempt for snubbing her committee’s inquiry into the sexual abuses in the KOJC.

Zubiri cited the SC decision on the petition filed against the Senate by Linconn Ong and Michael Yang, when the upper chamber cited them for contempt in connection with its Blue Ribbon committee’s hearings on the allegedly overpriced Pharmally pandemic supply.

While the court upheld the power of the Senate to compel witnesses to appear before their hearings, the Senate should give witnesses an opportunity to explain why they should not be cited for contempt, according to the Senate president.

“My request to Senator Hontiveros is that she has to come up with another committee hearing to give a show cause order. I don’t want to be in violation of the Supreme Court ruling on the Pharmally issue,” Zubiri said.

He added that only thereafter can the Senate panel request for an arrest warrant and for the Senate to release it to compel a witness to appear before the committee inquiry.

“Once there is a show cause order and the chairperson still does not find it satisfactory, then it is ministerial on the part of the Senate to release the warrant of arrest,” Zubiri said. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab, Bella Cariaso