Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.
DAVAO CITY – Pastor Apollo Quiboloy did not violate any US laws and was never detained, or had even been deported from Hawaii, his spokesperson said.
Speaking to reporters here on Friday, lawyer Israelito Torreon said the fact that Quiboloy had been allowed to leave Hawaii and arrived in the country on Thursday evening proved that the pastor had not been charged for violation of any US law.
“There is no way he would be allowed to leave if he had been charged and detained,” Torreon said.
He said it would be unfair to insinuate that the leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ had committed any crime in Hawaii.
“Detention implies he had committed a crime and he violated any US law. We have to clarify that he was not detained and he did not violate any US law,” Torreon said.
The Hawaii News Now reported Quiboloy’s plane was held by US authorities in Hawaii after an inspection found it was carrying gun parts and cash amounting to $350,000.
The report also said Quiboloy was briefly held after the inspection and was allowed to take a commercial flight to Manila. But Felina Salinas, who admitted owning a briefcase containing cash, had been arrested and was charged with attempted bulk cash smuggling. Salinas was an alleged KJC official in Hawaii.
She had since posted a $25,000 bail and would be appearing for a court hearing on February 27.
Torreon said Quiboloy, whom he had already spoken with, had also denied knowledge of the money that US authorities had seized.
“He was even surprised and US authorities believed him,” he said.
“As to the details on whether or not money was taken and gun parts were taken, these are handled by my American counterparts,” he added.
“He was not detained nor was he imprisoned nor was he jailed. He was also not deported,” Torreon added.