MANILA, Philippines — For Sen. Risa Hontiveros, the “blanket denials” by detained alleged sex offender pastor Apollo Quiboloy that he raped women and children for their spiritual salvation were plainly unbelievable.
Hontiveros said Quiboloy merely invoked his right against self-incrimination, when confronted by his victims and former followers with allegations that he took advantage of them to satisfy his lust and raise funds for his lavish lifestyle as head of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) that he founded.
After months in hiding, Quiboloy was arrested and made to attend a hearing of the Senate committee on women and children last Oct. 23, where he denied forcing members into servitude.
“He called it a sham Senate investigation, and yet when he was given a chance to confront our brave victim survivors, he only invoked his right to remain silent,” Hontiveros told The STAR’s online show “Truth on the Line,” launched on Oct. 31.
“He did not grab the chance to answer the allegations of a pattern of sexual abuse inflicted on the victim survivors. With the sheer number of witnesses, it is difficult to believe Quiboloy’s blanket denials,” Hontiveros added.
At the hearing, former KOJC logistics officer Teresita Valdehueza and a Ukrainian woman Yulya Voronina came out saying they were raped by Quiboloy, who told them they should sacrifice their bodies to the “appointed Son of God.”
Hontiveros’ Senate committee investigation had exposed Quiboloy’s alleged abuse of “pastoral” women – some minors – whom he lured with assurances of spiritual salvation so he could have sex with them.
Hontiveros said the Senate hearings could be used to strengthen child protection laws in the country, known as a hotspot for trafficking and online sexual abuse and exploitation of children.
The senator had wanted to craft a bill that would penalize sexual abuses in the guise of religious freedom, such as in the case of accused Surigao cult leader Jey Rence “Senyor Aguila” Quilario, whose alleged rape and forced marriages of children were investigated by the Senate last year.
“Our investigations are in aid of legislation. In the case of religious cults, this should not be seen as a violation of religious freedom – in the same way the label ‘appointed Son of God’ should not be used to sexually abuse hundreds of women and children,” Hontiveros said.
“Our laws should tackle religious freedom with concepts of consent, agency and protection from rape. There are gray areas that still need to be clarified,” she added.
According to the Philippine National Police, Quiboloy allegedly abused at least 200 women using as an excuse to justify the crime the Biblical story of King Solomon who had 700 wives and 300 concubines.
More witnesses have come out and reported to the police, now also investigating Quiboloy’s alleged private army called “Angels of Death,” sent out to kill his opponents and intimidate his victims against speaking out.
He is detained on nonbailable charges of qualified human trafficking before a Pasig regional trial court. He also faces a separate child sexual abuse case in a Quezon City court for the alleged rape of a 17-year-old.
In the United States, he was included in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s most wanted list for allegedly running a sex ring.
“There is no truth to the allegations. The Senate hearing is unfair and should not decide whether I am guilty or not. It should be the court of law, where I can defend myself,” Quiboloy said in an ambush interview as he was being led out of the Senate premises after the hearing. “This is a trial by publicity,” he added.