INSTEAD of running under the banner of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Party (WPP), detained pastor Apollo Quiboloy has informed the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that he will be running as an independent candidate.
Quiboloy has filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for senator through lawyer Mark Tolentino.
His COC included an attachment of his certificate of nomination and acceptance (CONA) from the WPP with Tolentino as the signatory.
Yesterday, the leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) sent a one-page letter addressed to Comelec chairman George Garcia saying that he has revoked his acceptance of the certificate of nomination issued by the WPP and signed by Tolentino.
“I am revoking my acceptance as a nominee of Workers’ and Peasants’ Party (WPP). I am, therefore, running as an independent candidate for senator in the 2025 National and Local Election (NLE),” he said.
In an interview with reporters, Tolentino said the decision of Quiboloy stemmed from the emerging intra-party dispute in the WPP.
“To avoid any problems, such as an intra-party dispute, which Pastor Quiboloy doesn’t want to get involved, he just opted to revoke his acceptance of the certificate of nomination issued by the WPP,” he said.
The WPP, led by WPP president lawyer Jose Sonny Matula has questioned the legitimacy of Quiboloy’s CONA.
A petition was filed by the WPP before the Comelec seeking the cancellation of Quiboloy’s CONA on the ground that it was submitted by unauthorized persons and without the authority from the WPP.
Despite this, Quiboloy’s name was included by the poll body in the initial list of senatorial aspirants for the May 2025 polls.
According to Tolentino, the WPP will still support the candidacy of Quiboloy despite the latter being an independent candidate.
“We will still support pastor Quiboloy and his advocacies. We are part of the team of Pastor Quiboloy,” he said.
Tolentino also said there are other political parties that are looking to adopt Quiboloy as a candidate.
“We cannot actually call him as an independent candidate since there are many political parties inviting the Pastor to be their guest candidate,” he said.
In a brief statement, Matula welcomed the decision of Quiboloy to revoke the WPP’s nomination, saying this will allow the WPP to be fully disassociated with the religious leader.
“I believe this is a welcome development. We cannot allow ourselves to be used or hijacked by pastor Apollo Quiboloy or his advisers as a cover for whatever political schemes they may be pursuing,” he said.
He, however, stressed that there are no factions within the WPP as claimed by Quiboloy.
“Any suggestion of an intra-party dispute is unfounded and purely a product of their wild political imagination,” said Matula.
The Comelec said the latest development on the status of Quiboloy as a candidate does not affect his inclusion in the initial list of senatorial aspirants for the May 2025 polls.
Garcia said being a part of a political party or not is just one of the basis in assessing the COC of an aspirant.
“As far as the Comelec is concerned, we made a decision including him as a candidate regardless whether he is an independent candidate or with a political party,” he said.
Nevertheless, the poll chief said the Commission will need to properly determine at a later date who between the two factions of the WPP should be recognized.
Meanwhile, the PNP yesterday said Quiboloy is still detained at the PNP Custodial Center at Camp Crame as there is still no order for his transfer to the custody of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo made the remarks after a Pasig City rejected last week Quiboloy’s motion to be placed under house or hospital arrest due to his medical condition.
Qubiloy’s lawyers filed the motion last month, delaying his transfer to the Pasig City jail, which is under the supervision of the BJMP. His four co-accused in a non-bailable human trafficking case were moved to the Pasig jail last month. — With Victor Reyes
