Senate issues arrest order vs Quiboloy

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri has signed the warrant of arrest against Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder Apollo Quiboloy after the doomsday preacher’s explanation for skipping Senate hearings about his alleged abuses was deemed “nowhere near satisfactory” by the senator leading the probe against him.

Zubiri said in a statement on Tuesday that signing the arrest warrant is "ministerial" after Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who chairs the Senate committee on women and gender equality, found "no merit" in Quiboloy's reasons for refusing to attend hearings about his alleged sex crimes, among other allegations.

Quiboloy, through his legal representative Melanio Balayan, earlier argued a number of legal justifications for why he should not be arrested, saying that the committee’s investigation is “incriminatory” and already assumes guilt on the part of the embattled preacher.

But Hontiveros has also clarified that the Senate inquiry into Quiboloy’s alleged crimes is in aid of legislation, touching on laws that concern human trafficking, sexual exploitation and money laundering.  

The senator also pointed out that the panel is seeking Quiboloy’s arrest not for his alleged crimes but for his refusal to attend the Senate hearings despite being summoned. The Senate is not a court and cannot “judge guilt or innocence,” Hontiveros said.

“The Senate resolution is merely proposed. It binds the institution only when passed in plenary. And even then it cannot be a source of rights, duties or liabilities,” Hontiveros added.

Zubiri also similarly said that the signing of the arrest order is "not to punish" the KOJC founder, but to "make the inquiry potent and compelling." 

"We are signing the order to protect our committee system, to preserve the Senate's power of inquiry with the process to enforce it. Should the witness appear during the next hearing and purge himself of contempt, there will be no need to order his arrest,” the Senate president added.

The Senate sergeant-at-arms has been directed to implement the order. Earlier, the Philippine National Police expressed willingness to provide security to the sergeant-at-arms that will arrest Quiboloy.

Meanwhile, the House legislative franchises committee has also similarly ordered Quiboloy's arrest for snubbing the panel's hearings on SMNI's alleged franchise violations.