Vice President Sara Duterte says Quiboloy should “have a day in court”
Vice President Sara Duterte late Monday defended Kingdom of Jesus Christ Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, saying that he should not be tried by publicity but should have “a day in court”.
In a video message posted by Sonshine Media Network Incorporated (SMNI) on their X (formerly Twitter) account, Duterte said she stands with Quiboloy and believes he has been treated unfairly by both chambers of Congress who have summoned him for his alleged crimes within his religious group.
“Justice and truth cannot be achieved in trial by publicity but by a day in court,” Duterte said.
“In the hearings that were conducted, it’s as if they have given Pastor Quiboloy a guilty verdict even if they are only based on accusations of witnesses whose identities are hidden and whose credibility cannot be proven,” she said.
Duterte also criticized the indefinite suspension of SMNI, calling it an “issue of media freedom”.
“These events and accusations are no joke. He should be given a just trial in the right court,” she said.
Duterte cited Biblical verses on persecution and urged Quiboloy and his believers to continue praying for justice and truth.
Quiboloy is also being asked to attend a House probe on the alleged franchise violations of SMNI which is conducted by the lower chamber’s Legislative Franchises panel.
Senator Risa Hontiveros earlier issued a contempt order against Quiboloy for skipping the inquiries of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, which she heads.
In his privilege speech on Monday, Padilla also urged the upper chamber to issue a show cause order instead of a contempt order. He previously collected four signatures from senators to reverse the order.
Quiboloy in an audio recording stated his 17 conditions for attending a Senate probe, including the unmasking of witnesses during the hearing and for the lawmakers to pay for his travel, food, and accommodation expenses.
Hontiveros slammed the pastor, saying that the Senate would not bend to his conditions which she deemed “out of this world”.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced last week that the United States has not yet requested the government to extradite Quiboloy after the order of unsealing of the arrest warrants by Central District of California Judge Terry Hatter Jr. against the pastor and his co-accused.
The warrants of arrest issued against him in California were for his alleged involvement in committing the crimes of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud, coercion, sex trafficking of children, conspiracy, and cash smuggling.
Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said they had no coordination with the DOJ or the Department of Foreign Affairs yet, but if an arrest warrant was issued, they would be willing to implement it. Jaspearl Tan/DMS
