Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri (File photo from Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri on Tuesday requested a Senate panel to issue a show-cause order to beleaguered Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.
His request was directed to the Senate committee on women investigating the alleged sexual abuse and other human right violations being hurled at Quiboloy and his church, Kingdom of Jesus Chris t (KJC).
Quiboloy’s repeated absence in the probe prompted the panel head, Senator Risa Hontiveros, to request Zubiri to issue a warrant of arrest against him.
But according to Zubiri, the Senate must first exhaust all legal remedies as cited in a previous Supreme Court (SC) ruling.
“Remember the Pharmally issue about the indirect contempt? So, under the ruling of the SC, we must exhaust all legal avenues, in other words, due process,” he said in an interview at the Senate.
“So, ang request ko kay Senator Risa, all she has to do is come up with another committee hearing really quickly, maybe today or tomorrow or Monday, to give a show-cause order.”
“Kasi nasa SC ruling yan e. (That’s in the SC ruling.) don’t want to be in violation of the SC ruling on the Pharmally issue…” the Senate chief added.
The SC ruled in March last year that the Senate’s arrest order and contempt case against Pharmally executives Lincoln Ong and Michael Yao Hung Ming violated their rights to due process.
The decision was only made public late last year.
“So, nakalagay dun, we must exhaust all legal due process. It says there that there must be a show-cause order,” Zubiri pointed out.
“So, kapag nag show-cause order si Ma’am Risa at hindi pa rin satisfactory yung explanation, sagot at ayaw talagang pumunta dito, then, it’s ministerial on the part of the Senate to (issue an arrest order),” he said.
(So, when Ma’am Risa issues a show-cause order and the explanation provided is still unsatisfactory, there’s still refusal to come here, then, it’s ministerial on the part of the Senate to [issue an arrest order])
The call for the issuance of a show-cause order to Quiboloy was first made by Senator Robin Padilla on Monday night.
It was also Padilla who objected to Hontiveros’ request to arrest Quiboloy.
He has until this Tuesday to gather the signatures of the majority or eight members of the committee to overturn Hontiveros’ decision.