MANILA, Philippines — Embattled Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) founder Pastor Apollo Quiboloy denied sexual abuse accusations hurled against him on Wednesday.
Quiboloy was granted a “right of reply” during the Senate committee on women’s hearing headed by Sen. Risa Hontiveros.
She asked Quiboloy upfront in Filipino: “Did you sexually abuse the women and minors and did you use religion as a ploy to sexually abuse them?”
Quiboloy denied this.
“There is no truth to what they are saying. If they have criminal charges against me, they are free to file charges and I will face them in a proper forum like the court just like what I’m doing right now,” he said in Filipino.
Quiboloy attended the Senate hearing for the first time after being arrested last month for alleged child abuse and human trafficking.
READ: Quiboloy’s alleged victims bare real identities during Senate face-off
Quiboloy and four of his subordinates were arrested last Sept. 8 in the KJC compound and were detained in the PNP Custodial Center the same day.
Quiboloy has been detained in the PNP Custodial Center to date, while Jackielyn Roy, Ingrid Canada, Cresente Canada, and Sylvia Cemanes have been detained in Pasig City Jail since Sept. 13.
One of the suspects, Paulene Canada, was the first to be arrested in a subdivision in Davao City last July and is also imprisoned in Pasig City Jail.