Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder Apollo Quiboloy attends the Senate probe on Wednesday, October 23, 2024. Noy Morcoso / INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines – Contrary to its claim, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) has only about 8,000 active members worldwide, police told a Senate hearing on Wednesday.
KJC founder Apollo Quiboloy estimated that the church has about seven million members.
“More or less, including partners—by partners, I mean those who are not yet members but are already covenant partners—there are about 7 million,” Quiboloy said in a mix of Filipino and English when he appeared for the first time before the Senate committee on women.
Quiboloy’s figure, however, was disputed by the records of the police presented during the hearing of the committee.
Davao City police chief Col. Hansel Marantan noted that KJC has been publicly claiming to have 8 million followers.
“However, based on interviews conducted by us, only about less than 8,000 members are believed to be currently active members of the said religious denominations worldwide,” Marantan said during the same hearing.
KJC members, he said, are scattered in 21 countries, including the Philippines.
After recruiting its followers, they are groomed and selected to be either part of “the inner pastoral” or ordinary miracle workers group, Marantan said.
“First, there’s recruitment, and then grooming. In the grooming phase, there will be a separation of those they see as prospects who will become subjects of sexual exploitation,” Marantan said in a mix of Filipino and English.
“Those who do not qualify under the standard will got to an ordinary miracle worker [group] for forced labor eventually,” he added.
The committee, led by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, is investigating the alleged human trafficking, sexual abuse and other offenses hurled at Quiboloy.
He is currently detained at the Philippine National Police’s custodial center while facing charges before the Pasig and Quezon City courts.