Quiboloy sets conditions for surrender

MANILA, Philippines — Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy is asking for “written guarantees” from authorities as he laid down the conditions for his surrender.

A Davao City court earlier issued warrants of arrest against Quiboloy and five of his followers for violation of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.

In his voice message released through the DZAR 1026 YouTube channel, Quiboloy said he wants a written guarantee “that the Americans will not interfere in his case in the Philippines and that their Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the US embassy will not meddle.”

Quiboloy also wants a written guarantee from President Marcos, Department of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director Medardo de Lemos that the “US government will not interfere.”

“If you fail to give in written form these conditions from the Office of the President, Office of the Secretary of Justice, PNP, NBI and CIDG, you will never see my face,” Quiboloy asserted. ?

The embattled religious leader reasoned that he will not show his face unless these conditions are met.

He said that what he is doing is for “self-preservation” and claimed the end goal of all the legal woes he is facing is to avoid extraordinary rendition – a euphemism for state-sponsored kidnapping and transfer to another country.

“If I decide to come, the end game is that they would capture me and bring me before the American authorities. It will end up on their plan of extraordinary rendition,” Quiboloy said.

He also claimed that this extraordinary rendition involves the Americans killing him and to make it appear he died of natural causes.

“I am avoiding that to happen because I am preserving myself. That is the wisdom of the Lord God to preserve myself. The Father is taking care of me and preventing me from falling into the traps of people. He is preventing to fulfill their desire to take my life because I am hindering their plans,” Quiboloy said.

“I am not a drug lord, I do not use drugs. The cases filed against me are made up accusations. Your style is trial by publicity,” he claimed.

Quiboloy also wants Sen. Risa Hontiveros to stop what he described as sham Senate hearings on the alleged sexual abuses and instead file cases against him in court. He also accused the lawmaker of using the proceedings to gain publicity.

Col. Jean Fajardo, the PNP’s chief publicist, has urged Quiboloy’s followers to convince him to surrender and allow the justice system to take its course on his cases.

She also warned Quiboloy that as he is now a fugitive, even ordinary civilians can arrest him.

“Even civilians can arrest him, if he is found, because the warrants of arrest are already issued by the courts,” Fajardo said.

Advice

Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa yesterday urged Quiboloy to surrender to authorities following an arrest warrant issued by a Davao court on a child sexual abuse case.

“My only advice to him is that he face the case and let the wheel of justice roll. He really has no choice but to face it. That is my advice,” Dela Rosa said over radio dwIZ.

Dela Rosa previously said he would be willing to serve as Quiboloy’s security – which he later took back – and as envoy to convince the pastor to surrender. At the time, the senator said it was up to the pastor if he wants to surrender.

But with a warrant for Quiboloy to face the charges, Dela Rosa said the pastor has to respect the court proceedings.

“You cannot evade the long arm of the law. It will eventually find you,” Dela Rosa said.

The senator also doused speculations that former president Rodrigo Duterte – another ally of Quiboloy and an appointed property administrator – was helping the pastor hide and be a fugitive.

“You cannot expect from a former president – and a lawyer and former fiscal at that – to harbor a fugitive. He knows that is a violation of the law. Let us not make up those kinds of stories,” Dela Rosa said.

Quiboloy is in hiding with both the court and the Senate ordering his arrest, the latter for contempt after he snubbed the Upper Chamber’s investigations on his alleged sexual abuses in his ministry.

“The court is the proper forum for him to respond to the issues,” Dela Rosa said. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab, Emmanuel Tupas