EDITORIAL - The Quiboloy conundrum

As of this writing the government has issued no definite statement or made any action regarding the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s releasing of a wanted poster for Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, founder of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ movement, and spiritual advisor to President Rodrigo Duterte.

According to the poster now being circulated in the news and social media, Quiboloy is wanted “for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion; conspiracy; and bulk cash smuggling.”

We will not go into whether or not these accusations are true, that is for the court to decide. He has the right to due process. But we wait with interest to see what the Duterte administration will do about this development.

While the lawyer of the self-appointed son of God has come out to question the timing of the release of the poster, even insinuating that the move is an indirect attack against the Duterte administration to defame it ahead of the national and local elections, no one representing the administration itself or the spiritual advisee has said anything.

And we don’t blame them. They are in a very difficult position right now. President Duterte has made no secret of his admiration for Quiboloy and the pastor was even lately seen praying over the tandem of presidential daughter Sara Duterte Carpio who is running as vice president of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Will this administration belie the accusations of the FBI, one of the premiere investigating bodies in the world? And one that doesn’t really have a stake in how the Philippine elections play out despite what Quiboloy’s camp insists? Or does it allow the justice system here, which has an extradition treaty with the US, to run its course?

If the present administration allows due process to take its course, one which may lead to the possible extradition of Quiboloy to the US, it will be seen as a move to uphold and adhere to the legal process. But it will also lose points among its friends and allies who may see the move as a betrayal.

However, if the Duterte administration doubles down and refuses to let Quiboloy be subject to any legal proceedings and even protects him, they will be in effect harboring a fugitive. As a result The Philippine government might hold the nefarious record as the only country whose spiritual adviser to the president is wanted for sex trafficking by the FBI.

Like we said, the administration is caught between a rock and a hard place. Let’s see what the next move will be.