Hontiveros on freeze order vs Quiboloy’s assets: Deserve

Apollo Quiboloy —PHOTO FROM THE OFFICIAL PAGE OF BONG GO

MANILA, Philippines —“Deserve.”

This was how opposition Sen. Risa Hontivero on Thursday reacted to the Court of Appeals’ (CA) freeze order against the bank accounts and properties of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and his Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) church.

“Dapat lang yan sa mga tulad ni Quiboloy na sukdulan ang kasakiman,” Hontiveros said in a statement.

(That’s what people like Quiboloy, who are extremely greedy, deserve.)

As head of the Senate committee on women, Hontiveros is leading the investigation into crimes, such as large-scale human trafficking and rape, allegedly committed by Quiboloy and the KOJC.

READ: Senate probes Quiboloy, church offenses

The senator noted that this is the second freezing of bank accounts order against Quiboloy, citing a similar move in the United States.

In 2022, the US Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control blocked all transactions and assets of Quiboloy and his KOJC due to allegations of rape, serious human rights abuse, and other offenses.

READ: US Treasury freezes Quiboloy assets

“Hopefully, this freezes Quiboloy’s ability to escape. Hopefully, also, our local entities can work with their foreign counterparts to stanch the flow of money to offshore accounts,” Hontiveros said.

“Umpisa na ito ng pagkamit ng hustisya. He exploited the faith and goodwill of many Filipinos — mula sa mga menor de edad na pilit pinaglimos, pati sa mga OFW (overseas Filipino workers) na nagpapakahirap sa ibang bansa para lang makapagbigay sa KOJC.”

(This is the beginning of the quest for justice. He exploited the faith and goodwill of many Filipinos — from underage individuals who were forced to beg, to OFWs who work hard abroad just to give to KOJC.)

“Katapusan na ng pagpapakasasa ni Quiboloy. We will not stand idly by while scammers and con artists prey on hardworking Filipinos,”  the senator added.

(This is the end of Quiboloy’s happy days.)

Hontiveros also thanked the Anti-Money Laundering Council, which requested the court to freeze  Quiboloy’s assets.

Quiboloy has been ordered arrested by the Senate and two separate courts in Davao City and Pasig City for various crimes.

READ: Davao RTC issues arrest warrant for Quiboloy for sexual abuse