Apollo Quiboloy set for arraignment at Pasig court

Apollo Quiboloy, the self-proclaimed “Appointed Son of God” and founder of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, arrives at the Pasig City Hall of Justice for his arraignment on Friday, September 13, 2024. Quiboloy and four of his subordinates are facing human trafficking cases at Pasig  Regional Trial Court Branch 159. Screengrab from video by Luisa Cabato / INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Apollo Quiboloy will be presented before a Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC), where he is set for arraignment on Friday morning.

Quiboloy left the Philippine National Police custodial center in Quezon City around 7:18 a.m. and arrived in the city justice hall at 7:48 a.m. clad in an orange shirt covered by a bulletproof vest and black jacket, Kevlar helmet, and face mask  – his handcuffed hands covered with a cloth.

READ: Trafficking, abuse raps filed vs Quiboloy in Pasig, Davao

The reading of the criminal charges against him is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m.

Quiboloy and four of his subordinates are facing a nonbailable qualified human trafficking charge before Pasig RTC Branch 159.

Quiboloy, who is wanted for multiple criminal charges, including child abuse, and his aides were captured in Davao City on September 8, ending a 16-day search mounted by the Philippine National Police (PNP) that started on August 24 within the 30-hectare compound of his Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) sect in Buhangin District to serve a warrant for his arrest.

They were eventually flown to Manila and then detained at the PNP custodial facility in Camp Crame.

READ: Quiboloy: How did he land on FBI’s most-wanted list?

The first attempt to arrest Quiboloy was on June 10, following the issuance of a Senate arrest order against the pastor over his repeated refusal to attend a probe into his alleged crimes, which included sexual abuse and trafficking, as alleged by former members of the KJC.

Aside from the arrest warrant issued by the Pasig RTC, a Davao Regional Trial Court likewise issued a warrant of arrest against Quiboloy and the others, for violating Republic Act No. 7610 or the Anti-Child Abuse Act, specifically the provision on sexual abuse of minors and maltreatment. This case has since been transferred to a Quezon City court.

Additionally, Quoboloy is on the US Federal Bureau of Investigation’s “most wanted” list on separate charges of sex trafficking and bulk cash smuggling.