Remulla: ‘A lot will still happen’ before Quiboloy extradited to US
Apollo Quiboloy (Photo from his Facebook account)
MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday said the extradition of televangelist Apollo Quiboloy, if requested by the United States government, may take time.
“A lot will still happen,” he told reporters when asked if the United States had already sought the extradition of the executive pastor and leader of the Davao City-based Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) religious sect.
“They still have to file the necessary cases. Maybe they started with the freezing of [his] assets first. So we’ll just wait and see,” he also said.
The US Department of the Treasury sanctioned Quiboloy on Friday over allegations of serious human rights abuses.
The department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control accused the pastor of “systemic and pervasive rape of girls [and] other physical abuse” and froze his assets and those of KOJC.
The sanctions are different from the criminal cases Quiboloy is facing in the United States, although both are based on the same allegations.
Remulla still noted that “we have a treaty with the [US government], we have an extradition treaty and we have to abide by the terms of conditions of our agreements with our friends from abroad.”
“We’re waiting by the sidelines what would be their action. We’re looking at the cases to be filed. We’re waiting for things to happen on our end,” he added.
‘Swift action’
Meanwhile, the head of a think tank called for “swift action” from the government in coordinating with US authorities to prosecute Quiboloy’s case.
“Anything less will put… President [Ferdinand Marcos Jr.] in a difficult situation before the international community, particularly as he serves as the Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) coordinator to the European Union, which has very clear commitments relating to human rights and social justice,” Infrawatch PH convener Terry Ridon said in a statement on Monday.
He emphasized that it would be difficult to encourage foreign investments into the country “while an international fugitive takes refuge within our shores.”
The US chapter of women’s group Gabriela said Quiboloy should be immediately arrested because of the seriousness of the charges against him.
The group welcomed the “positive development[s]” in the United States against Quiboloy, but said he should also be held accountable for Red-tagging Gabriela and other organizations.
