DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 1 Feb) – International evangelist Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy endorsed on Tuesday the tandem of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, who are running for president and vice president in the May 2022 national elections.
Pastor Apollo Quiboloy endorses Vice Mayor Sara Duterte in the vice presidential race. With them are senatorial candidates Jinggoy Estrada and Harry Roque. Photo from the Lakas-CMD Facebook page
During the send-off ceremony of the “Mahalin Natin ang Pilipinas Ride” at the Kingdom of Jesus Christ Compound in Davao City streamed live over the Quiboloy-owned SMNI News Facebook page, the pastor said that he would throw support behind the Marcos-Duterte Uniteam and its senatorial slate.
Quiboloy – the self-proclaimed “Appointed Son of God” who is the founder of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name (KOJC) – also prayed over the mayor, along with former Senator Jinggoy Estrada and former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque (who are both running for the Senate under the Uniteam), before kicking off the 28-day national caravan from Davao City to Metro Manila and back.
“A lot of people are asking who the Kingdom of Jesus Christ will support. I told them, ‘let us wait for the right time.’ And now is the right time to express our support – I will support 100% the Unity Team,” he said.
Quiboloy is a friend and spiritual adviser of President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
The President previously criticized Marcos, calling him a “weak leader” and instead supported the candidacy of his long-time aide, Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go. But the latter eventually withdrew from the presidential derby.
The US Department of Justice announced in November 2021 the filing of sex-trafficking charges against Quiboloy and two other church administrators for allegedly coercing girls aged 12 to 25 to perform a “night duty” or “sex” under threat of physical and verbal abuse and eternal damnation.
In a press release posted on US DOJ’s website on November 18, the superseding indictment issued by the Federal Grand Jury charged Quiboloy and two other defendants – KOJC’s “international administrator” Teresita Tolibas Dandan and Felina Salinas – “with participating in a conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, as well as the sex trafficking of children.”
Maximum penalty for sex trafficking conspiracy in the US is life sentence in federal prison.
The vice presidential candidate thanked the pastor for accommodating her request to stage the send-off ceremony of her team and supporters for the national caravan, a campaign which she claims seeks “patriotism or love for our country.”
From Davao City, the caravan will go to Bislig in Surigao del Sur on February 1; from Bislig to Lipata Port in Surigao City and to Liloan Port in Southern Leyte on February 2.
It will then proceed to Tacloban, Leyte on February 3; Tacloban, Leyte to Calbayog in Samar on February 4; Calbayog to Allen Port in Northern Samar, then to Matnog Port in Sorsogon, and then to Suki Beach, Matnog on February 5.
FromMatnog the caravan willthen proceed to Naga City on February 6; Naga City to Daet, Camarines Norte on February 7; Daet, Camarines Norte to Lucena City on February 8; Lucena City to Metro Manila on February 9; Metro Manila to Cabanatuan City via Gapan City on February 10; Cabanatuan City to Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya on February 11; Nueva Vizcaya to Cauayan, Isabela on February 14; Cauayan, Isabela to Tuguegarao City on February 15; Tuguegarao City to Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte on February 16; Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte to Vigan City on February 17; Vigan City to San Fernando, La Union on February 18; San Fernando, La Union to Alaminos, Pangasinan on February 19; Alaminos, Pangasinan to Subic, Zambales on February 20; Subic, Zambales to Metro Manila via Pampanga on February 21; Manila to Batangas Port and then to Calapan Port in Oriental Mindoro on February 22; Calapan Port to Bulalacao Port (Oriental Mindoro) and then to Caticlan Port in Aklan on February 23; Caticlan Port to Iloilo and then to Bacolod in Negros Occidental on February 24; Bacolod to Dumaguete in Negros Oriental and then to Dapitan in Zamboanga del Norte on February 25; Dapitan to Pagadian in Zamboanga del Sur on February 26; Pagadian to Cotabato on February 27; and Cotabato to Davao City on Februayr 28. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)