Senator Robin Padilla (Joseph Vidal/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Robin Padilla, a friend and staunch supporter of Apollo Quiboloy, said he did everything he could to protect the controversial sect leader’s rights.
Padilla made the remark after the chamber’s issuance of an arrest order against the alleged rapist.
“Ginawa po ng opisina ko ang lahat ng nasa rules at procedure ng Senate para mapangalagaan ang karapatan ni Pastor Quiboloy. Nagdesisyon na po ang chairman ng komite at inaksyunan na rin po ni [Senate President Juan Miguel] Zubiri ang pag issue ng warrant of arrest,” said Padilla in a text message.
(My office did everything within the rules and procedure of the Senate in order to protect Pastor Quiboloy’s rights. The chairman of the committee has decided and Senate President Zubiri has taken action and issued a warrant of arrest.)
Padilla earlier blocked the Senate panel on women’s motion to cite Quiboloy for contempt, but he failed to gather enough signatories to reverse the committee’s ruling.
Despite being vocal about his support for Quiboloy, Padilla denied claims that he is “defending” the religious leader, saying that what he’s doing is merely a show of “democracy.”
“I’ll make it clear. Defending him is different. That’s his lawyer’s job, what I’m doing is democracy. We have to go through it. For me, this person has the right to due process. He has to go through what everyone goes through. He has to go through it too,” he earlier told reporters.
But what could Quiboloy do in light of these developments? Padilla said he sees one “legal alternative” option.
“Ang nakikita ko po na legal na alternatibo para kay Pastor Quiboloy ay idulog po ito sa Supreme Court,” said Padilla.
(For me, the legal alternative Pastor Quiboloy could pursue is to bring the matter to the Supreme Court.)
Crime allegations against Quiboloy include sexual abuse, human trafficking, and forced labor among members of his church Kingdom of Jesus Christ.