Apollo Quiboloy (left) and Senator Risa Hontiveros PHOTO FROM SENATE SOCIAL MEDIA UNIT; INQUIRER FILES
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday said the “lengthy” grace period granted to Apollo Quiboloy in surrendering his firearms is among the “double standards” being enjoyed by the sect leader.
In a press conference, Hontiveros compared Quiboloy’s so-called privileges to what regular Filipinos go through.
“Tuloy-tuloy ang double standard kay Quiboloy, ‘di ba? Eh yung mamamayan inimbita sa Senate hearing, dadalo. Hindi niya hihintayin isubpoena, lalong hindi niya iintayin isyuhan pa ng warrant of arrest at lalong-lalong hindi siya tatakas at magtatago sa isineserve na mga warrant,” said Hontiveros.
(The double standards for Quiboloy continue, right? If a normal citizen gets invited to a Senate hearing, he’ll attend. He wouldn’t wait for a subpoena, he wouldn’t wait for a warrant of arrest to be issued, and most especially, he wouldn’t hide when a warrant is being served.)
“At ngayon, totoo, pag-surrender ng mga kanseladong dating lisensyadong mga firearms, di registered na mga firearms, dapat kaagad yun. Ang mamamayan nga kung mag-a-apply para sa permit to carry, eh ang klaro ng ganyang mga kondisyon. Once ma-deny yan or hindi na i-renew yan, isusurrender hanggat maaga at hindi kalahating taon ang ibibigay,” he added.
(And now, it’s true, even surrendering his previously licensed firearms should’ve been done right away. A regular citizen—if he applies for a permit to carry—has clear conditions. Once it is denied or not renewed, it needs to be surrendered immediately. It does not need to take half a year.)
While five of Quiboloy’s firearms have already been surrendered to Davao Police, Hontiveros viewed this as insufficient.
READ: 5 firearms of Quiboloy have been surrendered to PNP, says Abalos
“That’s a start. But that’s only 25 percent of 19. And based on social media photos of Quivoloy’s private army, 19 is only a small portion of what they really have,” said Hontiveros in a mix of English and Filipino.
READ: Dutertes left with bag of guns after visit to Quiboloy – witness
Hontiveros then pointed out that one Senate witness under an alias Rene testified that Quiboloy owns bags of guns.