Quiboloy's Senate bid still on as Comelec dismisses DQ case

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has dismissed the petition to disqualify detained pastor Apollo Quiboloy's bid for the Senate in the May 2025 midterm elections.

In a 14-page ruling issued on Thursday, December 18, the Comelec First Division rejected the petition filed by labor leader Sonny Matula, stating that the evidence presented was insufficient to cancel Quiboloy’s certificate of candidacy (COC).

“Even if this Commission were to apply the rules on liberality and decide based on the merits of this Petition, the grounds relied upon by the Petitioner for the disqualification of Respondent and the cancellation of his COC are incorrect and without factual and legal basis,” the ruling read.

The Comelec also pointed out procedural errors in the petition, stressing that a claim to declare a candidate as a nuisance cannot be combined with other disqualification grounds in one filing.

The poll body said it found no evidence to support the claim of “material misrepresentation” under election laws.

In the COC Quiboloy filed on October 8 through his representative and lawyer Mark Tolentino, the pastor said he would run under the Workers and Peasants Party (WPP).

Matula, president of the WPP and also a senatorial aspirant, argued that Quiboloy's candidacy was invalid due to an unauthorized signatory on his Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance (CONA) from the party.

Tolentino said that it was he who signed the CONA of the Kingdom of Jesus founder, claiming that he is the legitimate president of the WPP.

Quiboloy later revoked his acceptance of the WPP's nomination on October 21 and decided to run as an independent candidate for senator in the 2025 midterm elections.

The KOJC founder, currently detained at the Pasig City Jail following his arrest at the KOJC compound in Davao City on September 8, faces multiple charges, including violation of labor laws and sex trafficking.