DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 28 February) – “Get yourself arrested,” is the advice of former President Rodrigo Duterte to his friend and spiritual adviser Pastor Apollo Quiboloy who will be cited for contempt and arrested if he does not appear before a Senate Committee hearing on Tuesday, March 5 on the
“reported cases of large-scale human trafficking, rape, sexual abuse and violence, and child abuse of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) under its leader Apollo Quiboloy.”
“This is a free country. If you do not want to go there, get arrested,” he said in a press conference Tuesday night at the Pavilion 2 of the Harana Restaurant.
Quiboloy, KOJC leader and self-proclaimed “appointed son of God,” has snubbed twice the invitation of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, prompting the Senate to issue a subpoena, signed by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and received by Quiboloy’s lawyer in Davao City on February 22.
Davao City mayor and Presidential frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte (left) meets with his friend and spiritual adviser Apollo Quiboloy inside the SMNI studio in Davao City in the wee hours of 10 May 2016 just hours after voting ended. Duterte was elected the 16th President and first Mindanawon to lead the nation. MindaNews photo by MANMAN DEJETO
Committee chair Senator Risa Hontiveros has warned that she will have him cited for contempt and have him arrested if he ignores the Senate’s subpoena to appear before the committee at 10 a.m. on March 5.
Hontiveros’ Senate Resolution 884 proposed an investigation in aid of legislation to “allow us to determine whether our updated human trafficking laws are able to cover large-scale and systemic acts of trafficking done under the cover of a religious organ.”
In a privilege speech at the Senate on December 11, the same day she filed the resolution, Hontiveros said “front and center of these narratives are the systemic sexual abuse of women and children in the hands of this man that they call Pastor. And no, these are not crimes of the past for which we are holding Apollo Quiboloy to account. This is an ongoing offense. Patuloy na nangyayari. The abuse of women and children is taking place as we speak, under the auspices of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.”
Quiboloy in a voice message aired on February 21 on the YouTube channel of Sonshine Media, said he is in hiding for fear of his life, claiming the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Central Intelligence Agency, and other US authorities, aided by the Philippine government, are out to eliminate him. Since November 10, 2021, he and two others in his church have been on the “wanted” list of United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for “conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, and sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; conspiracy; and bulk cash smuggling.”
FBI’s “Wanted” poster, November 2021.
Hontiveros said her committee has the power to compel the attendance of witnesses “no matter how well-connected they are.”
In a statement earlier on Tuesday, Hontiveros said “Cabinet officials, lawmakers, an incumbent Senate President, and even a former President have submitted to Senate subpoenas and appeared as witnesses.”
She said Quiboloy’s constitutional rights, “like all witnesses, are respected. Pero hindi siya mataas pa sa presidente, sa Senado, at sa batas” (But he is not above the President, the Senate and the law).
“Isa lang ang hinihingi sa inyo — ang magpakita sa Senado” (I am only asking one thing from you – show up at the Seante), Hontiveros said, adding he should show up so the Senate could hear his side. “Hinihintay namin kayo” (we are waiting for you).
“Wala man akong nakita na of national interest”
Duterte said he would give Quiboloy the “free choice,” but earlier in the press conference, he said “you cannot order an ordinary citizen like me, to compel me to report to you. For what if I don’t want? Or if you cite the national interest that you should appear. If we begin to question you, what is the significance of that interest. Eh, Pastor siya. Kung gusto nya, hindi.” There is no direct translation to “kung gusto nya, hindi” but his succeeding statement would indicate he meant, Quiboloy can choose not to attend.
Duterte acknowledged that “unreasonable refusal” to appear before the Senate could lead to arrest. “Maybe first is invitation then comes the subpoena. A subpoena is more or less like a subpoena of court. Same effect. It can compel your attendance. Pero ako naman, kung ayaw niya, ano ba gusto mo sa kanya? Wala man akong nakita na of national interest” (But for me, if he doesn’t like, what do you want from him? I do not see anything of national interest here).
Hontiveros said the next step after citing Quiboloy for contempt is to have him arrested.
The House of Representatives on February 13 had also issued a subpoena for Quiboloy to appear and testify before its Committee on Legislative Franchises at 1 p.m. on March 12.
The Committee is conducting a hearing on a bill seeking to revoke the congressional franchise of Swara Sug Media Corporation, which operates as Sonshine Media Network International or SMNI. (Carolyn O. Arguillas / MindaNews)
