Apollo Quiboloy
Fugitive televangelist Apollo Quiboloy is not playing by the rules. So why does he deserve the court’s protection?
This was the question posed by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to the Supreme Court as it urged the high tribunal to dismiss Quiboloy’s petition challenging the Senate’s orders for his arrest and detention over his refusal to attend an inquiry into allegations against him.
The Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader is also facing arrest on charges of child and sexual abuse and trafficking earlier filed in courts.
READ: P10 million reward offered for the arrest of fugitive Apollo Quiboloy
Based on the arrest order issued by former Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri at the request of Sen. Risa Hontiveros, chair of the Senate committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality, which is conducting the inquiry, Quiboloy “delayed, impeded and obstructed” the investigation into allegations of human trafficking, rape, sexual abuse and violence against him.
In a 45-page comment filed on July 8, the Senate, represented by the OSG, urged the high court to reject the KOJC founder’s petition to void the upper chamber’s orders against her and to deny his request for a temporary restraining order.
State’s arguments
State lawyers argued that the Senate inquiry was in aid of legislation and that the contempt, arrest, and detention orders were valid.
The OSG added that Quiboloy’s invocation of his constitutional right against self-incrimination was misplaced. He was not entitled to seek relief as he comes to court with “unclean hands.”
Citing publicly available sources, it said the fugitive preacher had “no intention” of submitting himself to the processes of the courts and the Senate, as he earlier declared that he “will not subject [himself] to injustices done under the cloak of a Senate hearing.”
The OSG said the clean hands doctrine required that a person who seeks equity must also do equity.
“Here, [the] petitioner has adamantly refused to attend Senate hearings. He issued public statements disparaging the hearings as ‘bogus’ and ‘incriminatory,’ calling the senators ‘charlatans’ and ‘liars,’” it added.
The OSG also criticized Quiboloy’s move to challenge the Senate to file cases against him in courts about the allegations.
“However, now that actual criminal cases are pending with the courts and warrants of arrest have been issued, petitioner is nowhere to be found,” it said.
Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos announced a P10-million reward for anyone with information leading to the arrest of Quiboloy, who has evaded authorities for more than three months.