Televangelist Pastor Apollo Quiboloy (Photo by DENNIS JAY SANTOS / Inquirer Mindanao)
MANILA, Philippines—The legal troubles of televangelist Apollo Quiboloy continue to multiply as a nonbailable trafficking charge has been brought against him in a Pasig City court, on top of sexual abuse and child abuse cases in Davao City, the Department of Justice said on Tuesday.
On the same day, the Senate issued a warrant for the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) founder’s arrest for “unduly refusing to appear despite due notices” at the inquiry into sexual abuse and trafficking allegations made by his former followers against him and his sect.
In a Viber message to reporters, Assistant Justice Secretary Jose Dominic Clavano said the Davao City Prosecutor’s Office endorsed a complaint for qualified trafficking in persons against Quiboloy and five of his associates.
The nonbailable trafficking charge was filed in a Pasig City court on Monday.
The other respondents were Jackielyn Roy, Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Ingrid Canada and Sylvia Cemanes.
The Davao prosecutor also endorsed sexual abuse and child abuse charges under Republic Act No. 7610, or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act, against the preacher and the five others in a Davao City court.
For those charges, the recommended bail was P260,000 in total.
The prosecutor began legal proceedings against Quiboloy following a March 5 directive from Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.
“This case underscores our commitment to hold accountable those who would harm our society’s most vulnerable. Let this serve as a reminder that no individual, regardless of their position, is above the law,” Remulla said in a statement.
Second arrest warrant for Quiboloy
The Senate also began looking for Quiboloy after Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri released the signed arrest order at the request of Sen. Risa Hontiveros, chair of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, which is investigating the complaints against the KJC leader.
Hontiveros had denied Quiboloy’s appeal to set aside the contempt order and recall the subpoenas issued against him, as his response to the Senate’s show-cause order was “nowhere near satisfactory.”
Based on the one-page order, Quiboloy is being “ordered arrested” for repeatedly defying the summons by the chamber and merely sending his counsel to represent him “without justifiable reason, and thereby delaying, impeding, and obstructing” the inquiry into his alleged violations of human trafficking, rape, sexual abuse and violence, and child abuse laws.
READ: Quiboloy case now in court, no bail recommended
It was the second warrant against Quiboloy in days, as the House of Representatives issued its own arrest order against him on March 15 for failing to attend a separate inquiry on the alleged franchise violations of Sonshine Media Network International, the media arm of KOJC.
Place of detention
The Senate order specified that once arrested, Quiboloy would be detained in the office of the chamber’s sergeant at arms “until such time that he will appear and testify in the Committee, or otherwise purges himself of that contempt.”
“The Sergeant-At-Arms is hereby directed to carry out and implement this Order and make a return hereof within 24 hours from its enforcement,” the order added.
Interviewed by reporters, Zubiri said signing the order was only “ministerial” under Senate rules.
“We are signing the order to protect our committee system, to preserve the Senate’s power of inquiry.”
He maintained that the arrest order “is not to punish but to make the inquiry potent and compelling.”