PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. yesterday virtually rejected the conditions set by Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy for his surrender, reminding him that he was the accused in the case.
“It seems to me (it’s a case) a little bit of ‘tail wagging the dog,’ ang tawag na siyang mabibigay ng kondisyon sa gobyerno dun sa kaso niya, akusado siya sa warrant of arrest (It seems to me a little bit tail wagging the dog, that he would be giving the conditions to the government in his case; he is the accused in the warrant of arrest),” the President said in an interview in Bacolod City.
(The tail wagging the dog is an idiom that usually refers to something important or powerful being controlled by something less so.)
Marcos issued the statement in response to the conditions put forward by Quiboloy seeking a guarantee from the Philippine government that the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the US Embassy in Manila would not interfere with his case.
He expressed fears he would be turned over to the US if he surrendered without any condition, adding he may end up being killed by the Americans.
The President said he had known Quiboloy for a very long time and could promise him fair proceedings and compassion.
“Now, as to the involvement of the United States, that’s too far ahead. That’s going to take years, yet. So, I don’t think that’s something he needs to worry about, quite frankly,” he said in mixed English and Filipino.
Aside from the sexual abuse and exploitation of minor case filed before the Davao City Regional Trial Court which has issued a warrant for his arrest and the qualified trafficking in persons case lodged before the Pasig City Regional Trial Court, the beleaguered pastor was also indicted by a California court in 2021 for allegedly conspiring to engage in sex trafficking.
Quiboloy has an active arrest warrant in the US issued on November 10, 2021, according to the FBI. The US Department of Treasury in 2022 also blocked Quiboloy’s assets over what it described as “serious human rights abuses” committed by the pastor.
Marcos also assured former Negros Oriental congressman Arnolfo Teves of fair proceedings and compassion in treating his case. He said there is no report about supposed threats on Teves’ life.
“Wala namang kami, sa lahat ng mga sinasabi ni Teves na takot siya sa buhay niya. Wala kaming report na ganun. Walang nagbabanta sa buhay niya (We have not, of all the things Teves said, including his fear for his life. We have not received such a report. There is no threat to his life),” he said
Teves is charged with multiple murders over the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and nine others in March 2023 and three others in 2019.
He was arrested in Dili, East Timor last month and Philippine authorities are working on his repatriation to the Philippines.
NOT MEDDLING
After earlier defending Quiboloy, Vice President Sara Duterte vowed not to meddle in the pastor’s case.
“Hindi na po. Unang-una, hindi na ako nagtatrabaho (Not anymore. First of all, I’m no longer working) as a lawyer,” she told reporters when asked if she is planning to help Quiboloy.
The Vice President, who attended the Youthpreneur event of Go Negosyo with the Department of Education (DepEd) in Pasig City, welcomed the filing of cases in courts against Quiboloy, saying the allegations are now in the proper forum.
“Maganda ‘yung development na mayroon ng kaso, na nasa tamang forum (The filing of the case is a good development, it’s now in the proper forum),” she said. “Ngayon, kung ano man ‘yung desisyon ni Pastor Quiboloy na gagawin niya ay personal na niyang desisyon. I’m sure pinag-isipan niya iyon (Now, whatever decision Pastor Quiboloy makes is his personal decision. I’m sure he’s thinking about it).”
PNP ASSURANCE
The PNP assured Apollo Quiboloy of his safety if he decided to surrender.
PNP spokeswoman Col. Jean Fajardo issued the statement after Quiboloy set conditions for his surrender, particularly the non-interference of the US in his case.
Quiboloy said “you will never see my face” without the guarantee, adding he set the conditions for “self-preservation.”
“We want to assure Pastor Quiboloy, his supporters and his lawyers… that we are going to protect Pastor Quiboloy should he decide to surrender and submit himself to the jurisdiction of the court,” said Fajardo.
“We will provide the necessary security to ensure the safety of Pastor Quiboloy,” Fajardo added.
Fajardo said if Quiboloy believes he is innocent, what the pastor can do is “submit himself to the jurisdiction of the court.”
Fajardo said manhunt operations are ongoing against Quiboloy.
“Our efforts to serve the warrant of arrest issued by the Regional Trial Court of Davao against Quiboloy are not limited to Davao,” said Fajardo, adding reports indicated that Quiboloy is still in the Davao region.
“But as I said, our manhunt operations, our efforts to serve the warrant of arrest issued by the Davao RTC is not only limited to the Davao region,” said Fajardo.
Fajardo also said the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office is studying the possibility of suspending the license to own and possess firearms (LTOPF) issued to Quiboloy, who reportedly owns 18 pistols and one rifle.
“In this particular case, I understand the case of Quiboloy is not related to any use of firearms,” said Fajardo.
Fajardo said the PNP is determining if the child abuse case is sufficient grounds for the possible revocation and cancellation of Quiboloy’s LTOPF.
CHALLENGE HURLED
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla challenged Quiboloy to face the criminal charges against him unconditionally if he believed he was really innocent.
Remulla issued the challenge a day after Quiboloy said he would only face the cases in the country as long as his conditions were met.
Remulla reminded the pastor “that no one is above the law, even if one occupies an important position in his religious organization.
“Quiboloy cannot impose any conditions. He must surrender not according to his terms but according to the terms of the law. The law applies to all, without exception,” he added.
Remulla said if Quiboloy thinks he is innocent, he must squarely face the accusations against him.
Noting that Quiboloy for so long had been saying that he was ready to face the charges against him in court, Remulla said now was the time for Quiboloy to face the charges if he believed he was innocent.
“Argue your charges before the Court where you remain the accused, tell the naked truth, that way you can redeem yourself,” Remulla dared Quiboloy, adding the prosecution has enough evidence to pin down Quiboloy.
“The case against Quiboloy is never a weak one and there is direct evidence to prove all the elements of the offenses charged. The charges against Quiboloy are not simple. They involve serious and morally abhorrent offenses such as sexual assault of a minor and human trafficking,” Remulla pointed out.
Remulla said the DOJ is still waiting for the Pasig RTC to issue a warrant against Quiboloy in the qualified trafficking in-person case, a non-bailable offense.
QUIBOLOY DARED
Senate deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros called anew on Quiboloy to have himself interviewed in the Senate after he came out with another recorded interview with vloggers where he said the Senate should stop the “bogus hearing” and accused her of bribing witnesses to testify against him.
“Pastor Quiboloy lumabas ka na sa lungga mo. Tutal nagpa-interview ka na rin sa mga vlogger, aba magpa-interview ka rin sa amin sa Senado. Hindi naman maitatago ng audio file na ‘yan ang takot mo matapos umalingasaw ang katotohanan
(Pastor Quiboloy, get out of your hiding place. You had yourself interviewed by vloggers, then give us the chance to interview you at the Senate. That audio file cannot hide your fear after the truth came out),” Hontiveros said in a statement.
She said that Quiboloy does not even have an iota of proof to dispel the accusations hurled against him by his former church members and has no right to malign the Senate.
“Kung totoong matapang ka, ulitin mo lahat ng sinabi mo tungkol sa Senado (If you are really brave, repeat what you said against the Senate). Make your words of record. Record your shameless audacity in history,” she said.
She added: “Patunayan mong ganyan pa rin kabastos ang mga salita mo kapag kaharap mo na kaming mga senador. Hindi ka naming uurungan (Let us hear your rude words when you face the senators. We will not back down.)”
She said the Committee on Women hearings will continue even if he does not physically show up.
Sen. Francis Tolentino said Quiboloy’s legal team should know what’s best for their client after warrants of arrest were issued against him by the Davao Regional Trail Court Barnch 12, Pasig RTC, the Senate, and the House of Representatives but hinted there are legal remedies the pastor can avail of avoid being detained.
As a lawyer, Tolentino said Quiboloy should post bail on the cases filed against him before the regional trial courts,
In the case of the warrant of arrest issued by the Senate, Tolentino said the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms is not constrained to implement the arrest order but if it fails the Senate can file a case for disobedience to a lawful order in court, which will also lead to the issuance of another arrest warrant which again is bailable.
“Lahat ito ay mauuwi sa pag-isyu ng warrant of arrest. Lahat puwede itong mag-piyansa. Hayaan na lang natin mga abogado niya kung anong puwedeng gawing legal. Tingnan natin ang pangingibabaw ng batas (These will all result in the issuance of warrants of arrest which are bailable. Let us just let his legal team do what’s best for him),” he added. — With Wendell Vigilia, Victor Reyes, Ashzel Hachero, and Raymond Africa
