ALLIES of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJOC) leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy in the Senate have failed in their bid to reverse the decision of the Senate Committee on Women to cite the religious leader in contempt for failure to comply with a subpoena mandating him to attend the panel’s investigation into alleged abuses he committed against former members of his group.
Senators opposed to the contempt citation failed to come up with the required number of signatures to overturn the decision, committee chairperson Sen. Risa Hontiveros said yesterday.
Hontiveros said the seven-day period to submit the petition for the reversal of the committee ruling lapsed on Tuesday, with only Senators Robin Padilla, Cynthia Villar, Imee Marcos and Christopher Go signing the plea.
With the committee having 14 members, a majority of at least eight signatures are required to overturn the contempt order.
“As of midnight last night (Tuesday), ‘yung pitong araw para makabuo ng majority of the members of the committee na hindi po naman nabuo ‘yung walo, so lapse na po yung objection na ‘yun. Standing ‘yung citing of ruling in contempt (As of midnight Tuesday, the seven-day period for majority of the committee members to come up with enough signatures [to reverse the contempt order] has lapsed. So, their objection has lapsed. The citation order [on Quiboloy] stands),” Hontiveros said in a press conference.
Hontiveros said that this means that the show cause order signed by Hontiveros and Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri will now be delivered to Quiboloy’s known address by the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA).
The KOJC leader has 48 hours, or until Friday, to explain why he should not be arrested for not showing up during the committee hearings.
“I don’t see any reason why they would not accept the show cause order. Natanggap ang show cause order ng abogado ni Quiboloy sa Makati pero ise-serve pa rin ito sa kanyang address sa Davao (The show cause order was accepted by his legal counsel in Makati City but it will also be served in his address in Davao),” she added.
Hontiveros thanked members of the committee who supported her decision.
Lawyer Melanio Elvis Balayan, one of Quiboloy’s legal counsels, said his law firm received the show cause order at around 11 in the morning Wednesday, but has no information if it has been received at the pastor’s Davao City residence.
“To my mind if its has been received, that’s okay. So as counsel on record, the 48 hours should now be running,” Balayan said in a mix of Filipino and English.
He said his team and Quiboloy’s camp will still discuss how they will reply to the show cause order.
Hontiveros said Quiboloy can send his explanation either in writing or “through any form of communication” which he or his legal counsel can do on his behalf.
Meanwhile, in an interview with ANC, Hontiveros said Vice President Sara Duterte and her allies should support Quiboloy’s victims instead of the religious order.
Hontiveros made the remark after the Vice President, in a recorded message aired Tuesday, said that the Senate committee has already pre-judged the KOJC leader on the sole basis of the testimonies of the alleged victims.
“Nakapagtataka…the Office of the Vice President, mas dedepensahan pa nila ‘yung precisely ang isang tao na accused of the worst crimes against the most vulnerable of our society. Dapat sana ‘yung energy na ‘yan ibuhos na lang nila sa pag-depensa sa mga karapatan ng ating mamamayan at precisely children who are forced to beg, OFWs who were forced to give up their hard-earned remittances para suportahan yung lavish lifestyle ni Quiboloy sa halip na ipadala sa kanilang pamilya (I’m wondering… the Vice President is defending a person accused of the worst crimes against the most vulnerable of our society. She should have poured her energy to defend the rights of the people, the children who were forced to beg, the OFWs who were forced to give up their hard-earned remittances just to support Quiboloy’s lavish lifestyle),” she said.
“Dapat depensahan ‘yung mga babae na paulit-ulit ginahasa (She should defend the women who were repeatedly raped) in the belief foisted upon them na isakripisyo nila ‘yun (to sacrifice) for the so-called appointed son of God,” she added.
Hontiveros said there are at least three measures that can be crafted based on the hearings, contrary to what her detractors believe was simply a political show – the classification of workers or employees in religious organizations without receiving salaries and benefits, enhancing the human trafficking law, and protecting the rights of women and children in a religious organization.
“So, dapat inalaman muna ni VP bago siya nag-comment ng ganyang wala namang kinalaman sa batas. And political? Again, basahin niya ang resolution na aming dinidinig. Ito po ay tungkol sa mga grievous offenses laban sa mga babae at menor de edad sa kamay ni Quiboloy (The VP should have researched before she made a comment that the hearings do not have anything to do with crafting measures. This is not political since the hearings are based on a resolution about the grievous offenses against women and minors in the hands of Quiboloy),” she said.
In a related development, Padilla urged the Committee on Women to refrain from forcing Quiboloy to testify once legal proceedings are initiated against him.
Padilla, in a letter addressed to Hontiveros dated March 11 this year, noted that on March 4, 2024, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it has ordered the filing of criminal cases against Quiboloy.
Padilla said any testimony that Quiboloy he will make during the Senate probe “may inadvertently influence the judicial process.”
He cited the case of Bengzon Jr. versus the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee (G.R. No. 89914, 20 November 1991) as a precedent, wherein the court said that the legislative branch cannot inquire on matters which are exclusive to the judiciary.
“Lacking the judicial power given to the Judiciary, it (legislative) cannot inquire into matters that are exclusively the concern of the Judiciary. Neither can it supplant the Executive in what exclusively belongs to the Executive,” Padilla said citing the court ruling.
“In the event that legal proceedings are initiated, this representation trusts that the Committee will take into consideration that principles outlined in the Bengzon ruling and refrain from compelling any testimony from Pastor Quiboloy, as such action may inadvertently influence the judicial process,” Padilla added.
Hontiveros said the Senate conducting an inquiry in aid of legislation has already been upheld by the Supreme Court.
She said the attendance of Quiboloy in committee hearings is important since the allegations of rape can only be answered by him, and not by his legal counsels.
She added that the committee hearings are not trial by publicity, as alleged by Vice President Duterte, since the upper chamber is in no position to determine the guilt or innocence of an accused person.
At the House of Representatives, the lower chamber approved on second reading HB No. 9710 seeking to cancel the legislative franchise granted to the Sonshine Media Network Inc. (SMNI) for various violations, particularly the spreading of fake news and the red-tagging of critics of former president.
The measure, which is authored by Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez (PL, 1-Rider), was sponsored on the floor by House Committee on Franchises chairperson Parañaque Rep. Gustavo Tambunting.
It was voted upon after no one rose to ask question, which also prompted the plenary to dispense with the period of amendments and proceed to voting.
Prior to the approval of the committee recommendation, Tambunting told Vice President Duterte that the House is well within its powers to tackle the revocation of the congressional franchise of SMNI and order the arrest of Quiboloy because due process was followed.
“Well, I think she (Duterte) was mentioning, that it should be done in court. We respect her opinion. Here in Congress, we’re discussing SMNI’s franchise and that was awarded bu Congress. If this was given by Congress, only Congress has the power to revoke it,” Tambunting told a press conference in Filipino.
Tambunting said the franchise termination, once approved in plenary, will still require the approval of the Senate like any ordinary bill.
“It has to go through to the Senate first. This will pass the regular process. It has to be read in the House plenary on second, third reading and transmit it to the Senate,” he said.
Apart from spreading fake news and red-tagging, SMNI is also accused of violating Section 10 of its franchise, which requires it to obtain the permission of Congress before changing its ownership structure.
In 2020, Swara Sug reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that 95 percent of it was owned by KJOC. However, in 2022, Pimentel said Swara Sug transferred 46 percent of its ownership to another entity without first obtaining congressional approval.
Lawmakers also accused SMNI of violating Section 11 which requires the dispersal of ownership to Filipinos and Section 12 which provides for the reportorial requirement.
The Tambunting panel has also ordered the House Sergeant-at-Arms to arrest Quiboloy and bring him to the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City to force him to answer the lawmakers’ questions after he snubbed the committee’s invitations and a subpoena issued last week. — With Wendell Vigilia
