Senate panel terminates probe on Quiboloy ‘abuses’

THE Senate Committee on Women has terminated its investigation into the alleged abuses committed by pastor Apollo Quiboloy against former members of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) religious group.

Senate deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros, committee chairperson, said they were just waiting for the “arrested Son of God” to physically attend the hearings and put on record his statements before they close the probe.

In an interview with GMA-7’s Unang Balita, Hontiveros said the committee has now heard all the testimonies of the “cast of characters” that were named in the Senate hearings that lasted seven months.

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“Matapos ‘yung napakaraming drama niya, sa wakas naipaharap din siya sa Senado. Dahil sa ating imbestigasyon, ‘yung appointed son of God, ngayon ay arrested son of God na (After all his dramas, finally he was able to face his accusers in the Senate. Because of our investigation, the appointed son of God is now an arrested son of God),” she said. 

“Yung resumption ng hearing namin kahapon, ‘yan na ang huli. Dahil sa loob ng pitong buwan, ‘yung pagpapakita lang naman ni Quiboloy ang hinihintay namin (Our hearing [on Wednesday] was the last. We waited for seven months for the appearance of Quiboloy),” she also said.

In her closing statement last Wednesday, Hontiveros said the Senate probe was prompted by the numerous complaints that her office received against Quiboloy and his trusted aides.

She said the victim-survivors mustered the courage to come out in public against the televangelist after watching the Senate hearings on the reported abuses of Jay Rence Quilario, also known as Senyor Aguila, of the Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc. cult.

“Tila magka-pareho raw ang pagbe-brainwash, pang-aabuso, at pananamantala sa kanila ni Apollo Quiboloy, ang umano’y appointed son of God (They said that that the deception, abuses, and brainwashing of Apollo Quiboloy, the alleged appointed son of God, was the same [with Quilario]),” she said.

Hontiveros said it was clearly established during the hearings that Quiboloy “presided over a malicious and systematic subversion of personal will, autonomy, and dignity to make his victims participants in their own abuse – psychological, sexual, physical, and economic.”

“Nag-presenta siya bilang diyos at unit-unti niyang sinakop ang pag-iisip at katawan ng kanyang mga biktima. Ginamit niya ang kagustuhan nilang mabuti para gawan sila ng napakatinding kasamaan (He presented himself as god and slowly took control of the minds and bodies of his victims. He took advantage of his members’ desire to be good to commit evil against them),” she said.

She said the result of the hearings will be used to craft measures to further protect the right of church members from the abuses of their leaders and officials.

“Now, we will ensure that our country’s laws and policies leave no room for Quiboloy’s inhumane and ungodly liturgies,” she added.

Hontiveros said now that Quiboloy is detained, it is now up to the courts to decide on the cases against him and his trusted KOJC members.

The Committee on Women conducted the inquiry in aid of legislation to determine if existing human trafficking laws cover large-scale and systematic acts under the guise of religious organizations. It held four hearings.

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