Religious leader and alleged sex offender Apollo Quiboloy
MANILA, Philippines — Instead of demanding or imposing his conditions on the national government, religious leader and alleged sex offender Apollo Quiboloy should turn himself in and face the charges against him, according to a lawmaker.
House Deputy Minority leader and Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro said acceding to Quiboloy’s demand would make the country a “laughing stock of the international community for having a justice system that can be bullied.”
READ: Quiboloy says he’ll face raps only if FBI, US Embassy won’t interfere
“Quiboloy should just face the charges against him here and in the US to prove if he is indeed innocent. He should also attend the hearings in Congress and the Senate, instead of just being a fugitive,” Castro said in a statement on Sunday.
“Sa pagtatago nya, lalo lang lumalakas ang argumento na mukhang guilty talaga sya,” she noted.
(His hiding strengthens the argument that he is really guilty.)
“We urge Quiboloy to face the case against him and dispel any doubts regarding his innocence. Demanding guarantees only perpetuates the perception of guilt. Justice should prevail, and he should face the legal process without further delay,” she added.
Castro’s remarks came after Quiboloy said he would only face his cases in the Philippines if no foreign nation would interfere, pertaining to the actions of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (US FBI), the Central Intelligence Authority and the US Embassy.
Earlier, the Philippines National Police (PNP) urged Quiboloy to calmly turn himself in.
The request came after his five co-accused appeared in a Davao court, each posting P80,000 bail.
Last Wednesday, Davao Regional Trial Court issued arrest orders against Quiboloy and his subordinates, namely Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Sylvia Camanes, Jackiely Roy and Ingrid Canada.
They were charged with violating Republic Act 7610 or the Anti-Child Abuse Law, specifically the provision on sexual abuse of minors and maltreatment.
In January 2022, Quiboloy was officially declared as one of the most wanted suspected sex traffickers by the United States.
The US FBI published a “wanted” poster seeking information leading to his arrest for “conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, and sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion; conspiracy; (and) bulk cash smuggling.”