Apollo C. Quiboloy (INQUIRER PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE)
MANILA CITY, Philippines—Supreme Court Spokesperson Camille Sue Mae Ting on Wednesday clarified that the transfer of the sexual abuse of minor case against Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy from Davao City to Pasig is still pending.
Ting confirmed that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has already requested it and that the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) has recommended it.
“The Chief Justice has not yet received the recommendation of the OCA on this matter,” she told reporters.
Ting explained that, as a matter of procedure, the OCA makes a recommendation, but the Supreme Court still has to approve it.
“The OCA makes the recommendation, but the SC ultimately decides petitions for change in venue,” she said, adding that “we will have to wait for the Court’s decision on this.”
Quiboloy and several others are charged with violation of Republic Act 7610 or the Anti-Child Abuse Law, specifically the provision on sexual abuse of minors and maltreatment.
They are also facing a case for qualified human trafficking before the Pasig Court.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier said they would file a request before the Supreme Court to transfer the venue of the Davao case to Metro Manila.
“We transferred the cases from Davao to Pasig City so that the same team of prosecutors may be able to prosecute both cases together,” DOJ Spokesperson Jose Dominic Clavano IV said during the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon,