4 senators against citing Quiboloy in contempt

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SEN. Imee Marcos yesterday said several of her colleagues want to reverse the ruling of the Senate Committee on Women citing Pastor Apollo Quiboloy in contempt.

Senate deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros cited Quiboloy in contempt last Tuesday for snubbing the committee hearings probing his reported abuses against his former church members.

Hontiveros later asked Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri to order Quiboloy’s arrest.

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Sen. Robin Padilla, the lone committee member who attended the hearing last Tuesday, objected to Hontiveros’ ruling.

Marcos said she agreed with Padilla’s objection, adding that Senators Christopher Go and Cynthia Villar will also object to the ruling.

“We have not reached the required number of eight votes. But from the very start, I am against the issuance of a subpoena on Pastor Quiboloy,” Marcos said.

Under the rules of the Senate, the majority of the members of the committee have seven days to formalize their opposition to a ruling. The committee has a total of 14 members.

Marcos said she is against the committee’s ruling to cite Quiboloy in contempt because the House of Representatives has also issued a subpoena for the church leader for his failure to attend hearings regarding the franchise revocation of SMNI Network that he owns.

“I am not in favor of ganging up on a person. They have the right to due process, to defend themselves against self-incrimination. Why is it not being recognized?” she said.

Marcos said the Senate is not a “prosecutorial body” to judge whether the church leader is guilty or not of the accusations thrown at him by his former church members.

“Are the hearings really in aid of legislation? I am still in favor of giving due process (to persons accused of something),” she said.

Hontiveros earlier said the committee was not conducting the hearings to delve into Quiboloy’s alleged abuses but was doing it so they could come up with measures to further protect the rights of everyone who may experience alleged abuses from religious leaders.

Since cases have been filed against Quiboloy before local courts, Marcos said the church leader should prove his innocence in court.

“We want to give him a chance and, most of all, to my understanding, there were cases already filed in court,” Marcos said.

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