The appointment of former President Rodrigo Duterte (left) as the new administrator of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ properties only revealed the “intertwined” interests of the ex-chief executive. It alleged sex offender Apollo Quiboloy (right), according to Senator Risa Hontiveros (center). King Rodriguez/Presidential Photo; Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent appointment as new administrator of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) properties only revealed the “intertwined” interests of the ex-chief executive and alleged sex offender Apollo Quiboloy.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros, during a press conference, noted that Quiboloy’s trust in Duterte must be great to delegate his properties to the former country leader.
INQUIRER.net is contacting Duterte’s camp to get his side of the story.
“I don’t know [what] they want to convey, but the message that is reaching the public is that the issue is increasing, and it is becoming more clearer how intertwined the interests, even the economic interests, of Duterte and Pastor Quiboloy are,” Hontiveros said in Filipino.
READ: Hontiveros bares stories of abuse of women, kids under Quiboloy organization
“Usually, those who request an administrator for their properties are people who cannot manage their properties. So that’s how much Quiboloy trusts Duterte to entrust to him his properties,” she added.
“There’s even a saying: Tell me who your friends are and I’ll tell you who you are.”
The senator likewise said she believed that this move of Quiboloy only strengthened speculations that he was preparing to flee the country amid accusations of rape, torture, and other crimes.
“So I repeat my call to the [Bureau] of Immigration to ensure that Quiboloy does not escape at all the borders of our country and all the ports of exit,” she said.
Hontiveros, as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, has been conducting a probe into Quiboloy’s alleged crimes.
INQUIRER.net sought the stand of the former president’s camp, specifically the chief executive’s then-legal counsel, Salvador Panelo, but there has been no reply as of posting time.
On the other hand, former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque asked INQUIRER.net if he could defer his comment until tomorrow, Tuesday, since he would see the former chief executive on that day.
Meanwhile, Quiboloy’s legal counsel – Ferdinand Topacio — said Duterte had accepted the designation, emphasizing that Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) would not announce it “without acceptance.”
“Because under the law, if you are appointed administrator, there should be an acceptance,” Topacio said in a phone patch interview.
But why did they choose Duterte?
According to Topacio, it’s because Duterte is a “seasoned lawyer” and “he brings a high level of prestige to his function as administrator.
“You must remember that an administrator has certain obligations — under the civil code when it comes to properties,” he added.