SENATE deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros yesterday said the Senate will not “adjust” its rules to accommodate the conditions set by Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJOC) Pastor Apollo Quiboloy for him to cooperate in the ongoing investigation of the Committee on Women.
Hontiveros, committee chairperson, said: “Ang masasabi ko lang diyan, bakit Senado ang mag-a-adjust sa kanya (I only have this to say — why will the Senate adjust for him?)? The Senate will not bend its rules and procedures for you, Pastor Quiboloy, even if you are, as you say, a self-appointed son of God. Hindi kami para utusan mo (You cannot impose upon us). You will not mock the system of checks and balances on our watch. This is not up for debate.”
Hontiveros made the statement after reading social media posts uploaded by vloggers during the weekend showing 17 conditions set by Quiboloy for him to attend the Senate hearings.
The committee chairperson said neither her office nor the committee has received an official communication from Quiboloy’s camp regarding the conditions, but a source from SMNI Network supposedly confirmed that the listed demands were legitimare.
The vloggers, according to the SMNI source, were allegedly able to interview Quiboloy over the weekend.
Among the conditions set by the religious leader include: the the real identities of the witnesses against him be shown, that Hontiveros sign a notarized waiver of rights of her “arbitrary” contempt power and immunity of rights, that he should not be restricted to a mere “yes” or “no” answer, that there should be no time limit for him to answer or even ask questions, that he will only answer questions “that are necessary under my discretion,” that he can cross-examine the witnesses, that Hontiveros reveal the true amount she paid to the witnesses to testify against him, and that Hontiveros sign a notarized letter of assurance signed by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri that they are not colluding with the US government “to illegally arrest me.”
Quiboloy also wants the committee to allow him to bring at least 50 security personnel, including a number of policemen and AFP officers, to secure the Senate perimeter while the hearing is ongoing, he be allowed to bring his own witnesses, that Hontiveros secure a safety clearance from proper authorities “for my private jet to take off and land from Davao International Airport to Manila Airport and vice versa,” that the committee should shoulder all the expenses he will incur from attending the hearings, and send to him the written response of the committee two days before the next scheduled hearing.
Instead of setting conditions, Hontiveros said Quiboloy should instead attend the hearings, give an official statement on record, and not waste the Senate’s and the public’s time.
Quiboloy has been cited in contempt by the Committee on Women, which has asked Zubiri to order his immediate arrest due to his non-appearance during the hearings despite repeated invitations and subpoena.
Sen. Robin Padilla has opposed the contempt order on Quiboloy during the hearing held last March 5, saying he does not believe that the accusations against the KOJC leader based on what he knows of the pastor.
Padilla said he looks upon Quiboloy as a “hero” due to the latter’s fight against communists.
He said that the committee hearings should just be stopped since it is a waste of government resources since cases have already been filed in court against Quiboloy.
Hontiveros said that the number of committee members who signed the reversal of contempt order on Quiboloy remain at four as of Monday.
She said committee members have only up to today to come up with the majority votes to stop Quiboloy’s arrest, otherwise, the ruling will stay.
The House of Representatives has also issued subpoena against Quiboloy for his non-appearance on its hearings regarding the SMNI franchise.
Hontiveros said there were precedents that the Senate continued with its investigations even as cases have already been filed in court against a resource person.
She said if the House will be the first to arrest Quiboloy, she will coordinate with the lower chamber to make the KOJC leader attend the Senate hearings.
Hontiveros said that some of the committee members apparently want to shield Quiboloy from being arrested and put on confinement but the panel.
“Walang pagkuyog dito, sa simula ay nag-isyu kami ng subpoena. Hindi niya pinansin ang imbitasyon at ngayon ay cinite sita for contempt. Binigyan daan ko para makabuo sila ng majority. Walang pagkuyog dito (We are not ganging up on Quiboloy since from the start the committee has issued a subpoena which he snubbed, that’s why he was cited in contempt. I also gave the committee members a chance to come up with majority votes. So, we are not ganging up on him),” she said.
She also took exception to the statements made by some committee members that she is politicizing the hearing.
“Kung political ang pagdinig sa isang resolution dahil sa dami ng abuso na ginawa ni Pastro Apollo Quiboloy, ay ewan ko kung ano ang tawag doon…Yung nagsasabi na political ito ay sila ang magpaliwanag (If hearing a resolution on the several abuses of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy is political, then I really do not know how to call it (allegations). Those who are saying that the hearing is turning political, they should explain their claims),” she said.
She said the hearings aim to craft measures to protect the rights of women and children in a religious organization and to determine the classification of workers who are not given salaries by the SMNI Network as what was disclosed by a witness in previous hearings.
Also, she wants to craft a measure to penalize church leaders who compel its members to beg on the streets to raise funds for their church.
She said the Anti-Money Laundering Council will be invited in the next hearing, which has yet to be scheduled, to determine if Quiboloy is also engaged in money laundering.
“Lumalabas kasi sa past hearings na may possible money laundering si Pastor Apollo Quiboloy sa paggamit ng account ng ibang tao para makarating sa kanya ang pera (There is possible money laundering as what was revealed in past hearings since Pastor Apollo Quiboloy used the [bank] accounts of different people so that money can reach him),” Hontiveros said.
“There is misuse of bank account ng mga members sa Singapore kaya ininvite naming ang AMLC (There is misuse of bank accounts of the church members in Singapore that’s why we invited the AMLC),” she added.
ESCAPE?
Hontiveros said Quiboloy’s naming of former President Rodrigo Duterte as administrator of the KOJC properties should be taken as a hint that he is planning to leave the country to evade arrest.
She also said the appointment of Duterte revealed the “intertwined” interests of the former president and Quiboloy, noting the pastor has full trust on Duterte for him to entrust his properties to the former mayor of Davao City.
“Ang mensaheng nakakarating sa publiko ay lalong dumadami ang isyu at lalong lumilinaw kung gaano ka-intertwined ang mga interes ni Duterte at Pastor Quiboloy (The message this sends to the public is that the issue are piling up and it is becoming clear how the interests of Duterte and Quiboloy, even their economic interests, are intertwined),” she said.
Hontiveros renewed her appeal to the Bureau of Immigration to make sure that Quiboloy cannot leave the country so he can face the charges against him.
Hontiveros said she cannot allow Quiboloy to virtually attend the hearings since the COVID-19 pandemic is over and people’s movements are not restricted anymore.
“Hihina ang power ng Senado kung papayagan nilang um-attend siya virtually. Baka maging precedent ‘yan (The Senate’s power will weaken if we allow him to attend virtually and that might set a precedent),” she added.
Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel III said Quiboloy can question the legality of the warrant of arrest to be issued by the Senate before the Supreme Court.
“Going to court is and always will or should be a remedy for all people here in the Philippines. Citizens and even foreigners alike. That is his right and prerogative and should not be taken against him,” he said.
Hontiveros said she will just wait for the filing to determine what Quiboloy’s bases are.
SMNI SUSPENSION
Padilla has filed a resolution urging the Committee on Public Information and Mass Media, which he chairs, to conduct an investigation on the indefinite suspension imposed by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) on SMNI (SMNI) since December last year.
In filing Senate Resolution No. 960, Padilla said the “imposition of baseless suspension” on SMNI not only constitutes a denial of due process but also an erosion of press freedom, as well.
He said the NTC failed to indicate the need to suspend the operations of SMNI “much more express how this is necessary to avoid serious and irreparable damage or inconvenience to the public or to private interests.”
He added that the right of the people to public information “should not be unduly curtailed” due to access to information on matters of public concern will help the people by providing them with better perspective of vital issues confronting the society.
At the House of Representatives, lawmakers pressed Quiboloy to attend today’s hearing of the House Committee on Legislative Franchises, which is prepared to cite him in contempt and order his arrest if he again snubs the subpoena earlier issued against him.
The panel chaired by Parañaque Rep. Gustavo Tambunting will resume its hearing on the measure seeking the revocation of the legislative franchise of SMNI for various violations, particularly the spreading of fake news and red-tagging of critics of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s critics.
“Pastor Quiboloy has to respect the legislative process of Congress. He was invited and asked to present himself so that he can clarify issues regarding the investigations being conducted by the Committee on Franchise,” Deputy Speaker David Suarez of Quezon told a joint press conference with fellow House leaders.
Quiboloy has been subpoenaed by the House panel to shed light on his role in Swara Sug Media Corporation, operating as SMNI.
Suarez maintained that Quiboloy’s presence is crucial in the hearing, rebuffing persistent claims by his lawyers that he has been detached from the management and operations of the network since 2018.
“I don’t think Pastor Quiboloy should be excused from the many people that have presented themselves and became resource persons for any issue that the House has taken,” Suarez said.
SMNI lawyers led by Mark Tolentino and former Iloilo Rep. Rolez Suplico have been insisting that the wanted televangelist does not own the company and is only its honorary chairman.
Last Friday, the lawyers of Quiboloy sent a letter to the House panel, saying that the pastor was in no position to provide details on SMNI’s franchise.
Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez, the author of the bill seeking the revocation of SMNI’s franchise, said Quiboloy will be able to provide the committee with pertinent details regarding the management and operations of SMNI.
“During the initial deliberations in the previous committee hearings, Pastor Quiboloy sent lawyers and the reason they gave for not attending was nothing new,” Gutierrez said in Filipino. “Whether or not the reason will stand, we have to see as far as we’re concerned.”
Cagayan de Oro City 1st District Rep. Lordan Suan stressed the paramount importance of Quiboloy’s appearance before the committee to ensure members can make “informed decisions.”
“I think it’s important to remember that the power to compel attendance is very important for the House of Representatives in order to make effective and wise judgments regarding legislation it aims to make,” Suan said. — With Wendell Vigilia