Evangelist Apollo Quiboloy of Kingdom of Jesus Christ. INQUIRER file photo / GRIG MONTEGRANDE
Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, the head of Kingdom of Jesus Christ whose blessing and friendship are sought after by prominent politicians, has come back home nonplussed by his brief questioning in Hawaii.
Quiboloy’s lawyer and spokesperson said the pastor was neither detained for violating any law nor deported from the 50th US state.
The pastor arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport around 6:44 p.m. on Thursday aboard Philippine Airlines Flight PR-113, according to the Bureau of Immigration.
“There is no way he would be allowed to leave if he had been charged and detained,” said lawyer Israelito Torreon.
Cash was hers
Quiboloy, a friend of President Duterte, made headlines after Hawaii News Now broke the news that United States authorities had found $350,000 in cash and gun parts in the pastor’s private plane at the Honolulu airport.
A companion of the pastor, Felina Salinas, was arrested and charged with attempted bulk cash smuggling after she admitted that the cash was hers.
Malacañang is taking a hands-off approach to the incident.
“The pastor is a private individual … He can defend himself,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque told reporters.
‘Not detained’
Torreon said it would be unfair to insinuate that Quiboloy had committed any crime.
“Detention implies he had committed a crime and he violated a US law. We have to clarify that he was not detained and he did not violate any US law,” he added. —ALLAN NAWAL, JULIE M. AURELIO AND LEILA B. SALAVERRIA