MANILA, Philippines — After snubbing the Senate investigation into alleged sexual abuses of Apollo Quiboloy, the self-proclaimed son of God, the upper chamber officially ordered yesterday the arrest and detention of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader for contempt.
The arrest order was signed yesterday by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and Sen. Risa Hontiveros, chair of the committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality.
Quiboloy was “ordered arrested and detained at the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms until such time that he will appear and testify before the committee, or otherwise purges himself of that contempt.”
“The Sergeant-at-Arms is hereby directed to carry out and implement this order and make a return hereof within 24 hours from its enforcement,” the order read.
In a chance interview yesterday, Zubiri said it was “ministerial” for him to sign the arrest order after the Senate accorded Quiboloy due process with the issuance of a show-cause order.
Zubiri said he had to defer to the decision of Hontiveros to request for an arrest order after not finding satisfactory Quiboloy’s explanation to the Senate on why he should not be cited in contempt.
Zubiri said the Senate even tried backchannel talks with the KOJC founder, “but he really does not want to go here. So we have no other choice but to issue the warrant for his arrest.”
Zubiri assured Quiboloy that he would be given protection in the Senate detention area.
The committee hearings on sexual abuses allegedly committed by Quiboloy and his followers would be scheduled immediately even while the Senate is on break, according to Zubiri.
“Once again, we must respect each and every invited resource person. We can guarantee their personal safety and security, not only to Pastor Quiboloy, but all invited resource persons,” Zubiri said.
Hontiveros said the Senate’s arrest order against Quiboloy “is timely this Women’s Month.”
“Quiboloy has no right to trample on the dignity of the Senate and disrespect the institution. I would like to thank the witnesses for bravely coming out in this fight,” Hontiveros said.
Witnesses have accused Quiboloy of raping them and forcing them to raise money to support his lifestyle.
Former senator Leila de Lima lauded Zubiri for issuing the arrest order against Quiboloy, who she said is a sex offender.
“This is a significant day for the fight against impunity of powerful but depraved demagogues,” De Lima said in a statement.
Sexual abuse, human trafficking raps filed
Criminal charges have been filed before trial courts in Davao City and Pasig against Quiboloy for the alleged sexual abuse and qualified human trafficking of a 17-year-old girl in 2011.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) said complaints for violations of Section 5(b) and Section 10(a) of Republic Act 7610, otherwise known as the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act, were filed against Quiboloy before the Davao City Regional Trial Court (RTC).
The other respondents in the case for violation of Section 10(a) of RA 7610 are Jackielyn Roy, Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Ingrid Canada and Sylvia Cemanes.
The DOJ said the recommended bail for sexual assault is P180,000 while the recommended bail for maltreatment is P80,000.
A complaint for qualified human trafficking was also filed against Quiboloy before a Pasig City court.
The charge, according to the DOJ, is non-bailable.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier said the DOJ would move for the transfer of the case in Davao City to any RTC branch in Manila.
“The justice department is dedicated to the enforcement of our laws and the protection of our children from exploitation and abuse,” Remulla said.
“These cases underscore our commitment to hold accountable those who would harm our society’s most vulnerable,” he added.
The cases, Remulla said, also serve as “a reminder that no individual, regardless of their position, is above the law.”
The filing of the cases in a Davao court was a result of Remulla’s granting of the petition for review of the female victim who sought the reversal of the 2020 decision of the Davao City prosecutor’s office, which dismissed her complaint against Quiboloy and the other respondents.
According to the DOJ, the 17-year-old victim narrated a series of alleged sexual abuses that started in 2011 and a rape in September 2014.
The minor also alleged that she was maltreated and forced to work without compensation – all under the guise of religious service to the church Quiboloy founded.
Remulla has said that the filing of charges effectively prevents Quiboloy from getting extradited to another country, particularly the United States, where he faces multiple charges of sex abuse and labor trafficking.
Contingency
Police have started mapping out contingency measures to ensure the impending arrest of Quiboloy.
Brig. Gen. Alden Delvo, Davao region police director, said part of the contingencies is talking with Quiboloy’s followers who might be agitated with the arrest order issued by the Senate against their leader.
“We are ready for any eventualities that may come from the serving of the arrest warrant,” Delvo told reporters.
Philippine National Police chief information officer Col. Jean Fajardo maintained that it is the Senate’s sergeant-at-arms who will carry out the arrest order while the PNP would be limited to providing security if the upper chamber asks for assistance.
Delvo said they would also talk with the security officers at the Glory Mountain, the vast property of the KOJC in Davao City, should the Senate’s representative visit the area in search of Quiboloy.
He also appealed for sobriety from Quiboloy’s supporters, stressing their leader has lawyers that can defend him in the proper forum.
“You just let the law take its due course,” Delvo said.
Delvo believes that Quiboloy is still in Davao City, which the pastor considers his home.
‘Money laundering’
ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro expressed reservations on the designation of former president Rodrigo Duterte as the caretaker of Quiboloy’s assets, saying the move raised suspicions of “money laundering.”
“It raises more doubts on the connections of the two and talk of money laundering issues between them,” Castro said in a statement. “In essence, Duterte is an accomplice in hiding a wanted fugitive.”
Quiboloy is facing charges of sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, conspiracy as well as cash smuggling in the United States, Castro noted.
She added that Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth had not been released so “we still do not know how big his assets have grown since he became president.”
“Billions of pesos in confidential and intelligence funds have passed through him without proper accounting and now he will be handling the assets of Quiboloy. We cannot blame our countrymen if they suspect that there is a money laundering arrangement between these two,” Castro said.
Castro said the Office of the Ombudsman should release Duterte’s SALN from 2016 to 2022. — Daphne Galvez, Emmanuel Tupas, Sheila Crisostomo