MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) has granted the request of the Department of Justice to transfer the child and sexual abuse cases of fugitive doomsday preacher Apollo Quiboloy.
In a press release on Tuesday, the SC said that it granted the request of the DOJ to “avoid the miscarriage of justice."
“The Court found compelling reasons to justify the transfer of venue as the cases involve public interest, with the accused, a well-known religious leader, being influential in the area,” the SC said.
“As this could cause local biases and a strong possibility that witnesses cannot freely testify due to fear and influence of the accused, the Court found it prudent and judicious to order the transfer of the cases to Quezon City,” it added.
The SC also instructed judges in Davao City and other Mindanao stations, where future related cases involving Quiboloy and his co-accused might be filed, to independently order the transfer of the case records to the Office of the Clerk of Court of the RTC and Metropolitan Trial Court in Quezon City.
The high court also ordered the Quezon City RTC Executive Judge to raffle off the cases.
Quiboloy and his associates have been charged for child abuse and sexual abuse offenses due to their alleged abuses of the members of the preacher’s “church”, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ or KOJC.
On April 3, the Davao court issued a warrant of arrest against the preacher and his associates, namely Jackielyn Roy, Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Ingrid Canada and Sylvia Cemañes.
Aside from this, a non-bailable qualified human trafficking case is lodged before the Pasig City court against them.
Philstar.com has reached out to Quiboloy’s general legal counsel, Ferdinand Topacio, for comment, but he said he has yet to read the SC’s order.