Marcos to Quiboloy: Show up, face cases

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PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. yesterday told Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) founder Apollo Quiboloy to give himself up and face the child abuse and human trafficking charges that have been filed against him before the courts.

The President likewise defended there was nothing wrong with private individuals pooling P10 million in reward money for the arrest of the fugitive religious leader.

“He can question their (donors) motives as much as he want, (pero) magpakita siya (he should give himself up),” he said in an interview on the sidelines of the impounding process ceremony of the Upper Wawa Dam in Rizal.

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He said that in running after Quiboloy, the government is only enforcing the laws of the country.

“Sinusundan lang namin ang batas. Sundin din niya ang batas. Iyon lang (We are just following the law. He should also follow the law. That’s it),” Marcos said.

The President also said he sees nothing wrong with private individuals assisting the government in the hunt for Quiboloy by offering a P10 million bounty for anybody who can provide information on his whereabouts.

“Bakit hindi? They want to help us bring a fugitive to justice. You know, he is a fugitive. He is hiding from the law (Why not? They want to help us bring a fugitive to justice. You know, he is a fugitive. He is hiding from the law),” he said.

Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. Has offered a P10 million reward to anyone who can provide information that would lead to the arrest of Quiboloy.

The amount, Abalos said, would come from private individuals who he said have expressed disgust with the pastor’s continued hiding.

Quiboloy’s camp has questioned the government’s accommodation of the offer.

Former Duterte administration spokesman Harry Roque, in a report by the Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), the media arm of the KOJC, dared the private donors to make themselves known in public as he questioned their motives for donating such a big amount to the government.

Roque suspects the donors might try to seek favors from the government in the future in exchange for the donation, which he is a form of graft.

He said no one gives such a big amount for free.

“Unang una, bakit mag-do-donate ng ganyang kalaki ang pribadong sektor? Siyempre gusto niyang magpalakas dun sa mga nagpapahuli. Hindi ba graft na iyan? Hindi ba tatanaw ng utang na loob ang secretary ng DILG sa isang tao na nagbigay ng P10 milyong pabuya (First, why would someone from the private sector donate such a big amount?

Because they want to gain favor from those ordering the arrest. Isn’t that graft? Won’t the DILG secretary owe that person a debt of gratitude for donating the P10 million reward)?” he said.

A Davao court has issued a warrant of arrest against Quiboloy and five others over charges of child abuse, while a Pasig court issued an arrest warrant against the pastor for human trafficking charges.

Quiboloy has also been indicted by a federal grand jury of the United States District Court for the Central District of California for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion; conspiracy; and bulk cash smuggling.

The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) in 2022 had also issued a “Wanted” poster for Quiboloy.

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