THE Court of Appeals has issued a 20-day freeze on the bank accounts and assets of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder Pastor Apollo Quiboloy who is facing child abuse and trafficking charges before the Davao City and Pasig City courts.
The 48-page freeze order covers Quiboloy’s 10 bank accounts, seven real properties, five motor vehicles, and one aircraft.
The order was issued by the appellate court’s Special Third Division last August 6.
Once frozen, a person or organization cannot use their bank accounts, assets and properties until the order expires.
Also ordered frozen were 47 bank accounts, 16 real properties, and 16 motor vehicles owned by the KOJC; and 17 bank accounts, five real properties, and 26 motor vehicles of the Swara Sug Media Corporation, which operates the Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), the religious group’s media arm.
Other entities and individuals included in the freeze order were the Children’s Joy Foundation Inc. (CJFI) and Quiboloy’s associates Helen Panilag, Maria Teresita Dandan, Paulene Canada, Cresente Canada, Ingrid Canada, Sylvia Cemañes, Jackielyn Roy Marlon Acobo, and Alona Santander.
CJFI was founded by KOJC in 1998 to provide children with various residential services, medical, psychosocial educational support and emergency assistance.
The CA set a post-issuance summary hearing on August 12 to “determine the necessity of modifying, lifting, or extending” the freeze order.
In issuing the freeze order, the appellate court said it found reasonable ground to believe that the bank accounts of Quiboloy are “linked to unlawful activities and predicate crimes” such as qualified human trafficking, sexual and child abuse, sex trafficking of children, fraud, conspiracy, marriage fraud, smuggling, and money laundering, among others.
“In order to avoid the possibility of the funds in the subject bank accounts and or properties from being withdrawn, removed, transferred, concealed or placed beyond the reach of law enforcers, this Court finds it appropriate and judicious to issue a 20-day freeze order as prayed for by petitioner over said bank accounts, including all other related or materially-linked accounts, and the real and personal properties enumerated in the ex-parte petition,” said the CA decision penned by Associate Justice Gabriel Robeniol and concurred with by Associate Justices Ramon Bato Jr.and Mary Charlene Hernandez-Azura.
The CA noted the trafficking and child and sexual abuse cases of Quiboloy, as well as the alleged solicitation of donations made by his religious group in the United States.
“The verified allegations in the petition as well as the supporting documents attached thereto give the court reasonable ground to believe that the bank accounts enumerated above are indeed linked to unlawful activities and predicate crimes,” it added.
The court also mentioned specific circumstances involving the pastor.
It said Quiboloy had a hand in the trafficking of minor victim “AAA,” who was purportedly recruited by Quiboloy to be a member of the KOJC and eventually subjected to sexual exploitation, forced labor, and involuntary servitude.
“Quiboloy took advantage of his position and influence as Pastor of KOJC in committing sexual and physical abuse against AAA,” it said.
It likewise took note of the US solicitations by KOJC members, which were supposedly deposited to the religious group’s bank accounts in the Philippines to fund the construction of a stadium and Quiboloy’s “lavish lifestyle,” among others.
The appellate court said the solicited money was reportedly smuggled into the country by KOJC members.
It added that KOJC members were also “forced to conceal” the identity of the group as the true beneficiary of the “forced solicitations.”
The CA also held that the bank accounts of KOJC officials exhibited unusual deposits, withdrawals and remittances which were inconsistent with their financial profiles.
FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS
The CA order stemmed from a petition filed by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) seeking to freeze Quiboloy’s bank accounts and properties, as well as that of the KOJC, Swara Sug and other individuals.
The AMLC filed the petition following its conduct of a comprehensive financial investigation on the transactions of Quiboloy and his associates, which was requested by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in December 2023.
In its ruling, the appellate court cited the AMLC investigation which showed 330 substantial financial transactions of Quiboloy from December 12, 2006 to February 7, 2022.
It also noted that from 2007 to 2018, there were huge cash deposits made to Quiboloy’s bank accounts which were either withdrawn on the same day or the succeeding days.
Quiboloy’s biggest transaction was supposedly in the amount of P89,054,440 made in 2015, while financial transactions were most frequent from 2015 to 2018.
To recall, Quiboloy was temporarily detained in Hawaii in 2018 after US authorities found $350,000 in undeclared cash and rifle parts in a private plane bound for the Philippines.
Warrants of arrests have been issued against Quiboloy and five co-accused by the Davao City and Pasig City courts for alleged violation of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act and Republic Act No. 9208 or Qualified Human Trafficking.
Quiboloy was also indicted by a California court in 2021 for allegedly conspiring to engage in sex trafficking. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has also said that he has an active arrest warrant in the US issued on November 10, 2021.
Quiboloy has denied the accusations but went into hiding amid investigations conducted by the Senate and the House of Representatives.
DAVAO CITY
In an ambush interview at Camp Crame, Davao region’s top police official Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III said Quiboloy is hiding inside the KOJC compound in Davao City.
“That’s what the indicators and informants are telling us: that he is inside (the compound) and he is guarded by his followers,” Torre said, adding that his co-accused are also supposedly hiding in the compound.
He said informants have fed information to the PNP about Quiboloy hiding inside the compound even before Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr announced a P10 reward for his arrest and P1 million each for his five co-accused.
“Even before the reward, some are giving us information that he is inside,” said Torre.
Pressed if KOJC members were among those who provided the information, Torre said: “Some are their members, but I am not at liberty (to elaborate) because this may lead to (a) witch hunt.”
Torre said the co-accused of Quiboloy are also hiding inside the compound.
Asked why they have not entered the compound to arrest Quiboloy and the other suspects, Torre said: “We went there June 10. You saw what happened,” he said, referring to the commotion during the unsuccessful operation.
“As the chief PNP has said, there should be maximum tolerance. It’s not the end of the world, he is just there,” he said.
Torre reiterated his appeal to Quiboloy and his co-accused to surrender “to avoid people getting hurt, maybe we can settle this in a peaceful manner.”
“The only way for this to be solved peacefully and with justice for all is for him to submit to the jurisdiction of the court,” he stressed. — With Victor Reyes and Raymond Africa
