SENATE deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros yesterday pressed Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri to approve and sign the subpoena that the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality has issued against Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader Pastor Quiboloy.
At the Kapihan Sa Senado media forum, Hontiveros said the committee, which she chairs, sent its letter-request for the approval of the subpoena to Zubiri’s office last February 6.
“Kung bakit hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa napipirmahan iyon, hindi ko maipaliwanag. Mas maigi po kay Senate President niyo na lamang po itanong (I cannot explain why the subpoena has not been signed. It’s better to ask the Senate President),” she told reporters.
She said the signing of subpoenas is “just ministerial.”
“So, gaya ng nabanggit ko ay mayroon talagang subpoena ang komite at ni-request ko, at nire-request iyon, usually ministerial lamang ang pirma ng Senate President
(The committee has issued a subpoena. We have requested [that it be signed], usually the Senate President’s signature is just ministerial),” she said.
Hontiveros said Zubiri has offered an explanation on the matter, but refused to disclose what the Senate leader told her.
“Halos walang paliwanag na kaya kong tanggapin, dahil kumabaga presumption of regularity lang eh na kapag hindi pinaunlakan ang isang imbitasyon, in this case, dalawang imbitasyon, ang susunod na hakbang na puwedeng gawin ng komite ay yung subpoena (His explanations are something that I find hard to accept. There should be a presumption of regularity that if invitations are snubbed, in this case we already sent two, the next logical thing that the committee can do is to subpoena him),” she said.
“So, I don’t need to be satisfied or dissatisfied sa paliwanag ni SP. Ang nangingibabaw sa akin ay ‘yung pag-asa na mapipirmahan ‘yung subpoena in the regular course of our work (I don’t need to be satisfied or dissatisfied with the Senate president’s explanation. What matters most to me is that the subpoena be signed in the regular course of our work),” she also said.
In the letter to Zubiri, Hontiveros said Quiboloy “failed to honor the invitation of the Committee in its hearing on January 23, 2024, and the Senate has, under your leadership and the leader of past Senate presidents, consistently issued subpoenas against resource persons who fail, without justifiable reason, to attend its inquiries.”
She said a subpoena was also requested by the committee to compel Quiboloy to attend the hearing last February 12, but to no avail.
Hontiveros said she constantly follows up the request for subpoena each time she bumps into Zubiri, but still, no action has been done.
The committee has conducted two hearings on the alleged that Quiboloy has committed against members of his church, ranging from sexual to physical abuse, to human trafficking.
Quiboloy has been a no-show during the two hearings despite being invited.
Former members of the church, including two Ukrainian women have testified that Quiboloy made them his sex slaves. A Filipina member made a similar allegation.
The House of Representatives has issued a subpoena against Quiboloy in relation to its ongoing hearings on the proposal to revoke the legislative franchise of the Sonshine Media Network Inc. (SMNI), which is owned by the pastor, for violation of its franchise provisions.
Hontiveros said the next hearing on the complaints against Quiboloy will be held on Monday next week. She said more witnesses are expected to testify against their former church leader.
She said Quiboloy’s attendance to the next scheduled hearing is important so he can shed light on information that her office has received that witnesses have been receiving “credible threats” and to answer the allegations against him.
“I believe these efforts constitute obstruction of a legitimate Senate inquiry, and lend urgency to the call to subpoena Mr. Quiboloy,” she said.
“Tapos meron pa ngayon gustong magkunwari rin, testigo, para lang in effect idiskaril ‘yung investigation. So, all the more mahalaga sa akin ‘yung subpoena kay Quiboloy
(There are false witnesses who want to testify to, in effect, derail the investigation. So, all the more that a subpoena is needed against Quiboloy),” Hontiveros said.
Members of the media tried to get a statement from Zubiri regarding Hontiveros’ concern. His office has yet to respond as of this writing.
