Evangelist Quiboloy: No hard feelings vs Duterte

 

Earlier, Quiboloy said he is willing to donate his private jet and helicopter to Duterte for his personal use when he assumes as president on June 30.

 

He said the incoming president can use his 2015 Cessna Citation Sovereign Plus and his Bell 429 helicopter at no cost to the government. Quiboloy’s air assets allowed Duterte to travel to various parts of the country during the campaign period.

 

During the final stretch of the campaign, Duterte admitted receiving several properties and assets by Quiboloy but maintained that the religious leader had donated it “in the name of God.”

 

Previous reports said Quiboloy has given Duterte three properties in Woodridge Village in Barangay Maa and another property in Royal Pine Subdivision.

Quiboloy said that people had been calling him about concerns and issues, hoping that he would bring their concerns to Duterte. He said that he advised them to go to the mayor directly.

 

“People were telling me their concerns even if I have nothing to do with them. I would like to provide them to the mayor as inputs but he was very busy. I understand that the mayor cannot talk to me immediately so I told them that they should just go directly to him,” the religious leader said.

 

Quiboloy, however, was not able to talk to Duterte because of the latter’s busy schedule.

 

“I understand that he (Duterte) was very busy. But they do not believe that I haven’t talked to him,” Quiboloy said.

 

Eleanor Cardona, executive secretary of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, said Duterte and Quiboloy last saw each other when the incoming president visited the group’s compound on May 9. The two, however, had a very short phone conversation about the requests and concerns being relayed to the evangelist.

 

“It was just a discussion what happened. We were flooded by requests,” Cardona said.

 

Cardona revealed that some of those who were talking to Quiboloy were job seekers. She added that there were also concerns about “conflict of interest” but did not elaborate.

 

Cardona said Quiboloy had clarified to those making requests that he was not included in the Duterte camp’s decision-making process. She lamented that Quiboloy had to carry the burden of having to transmit messages and concerns to Duterte.  

 

“In fact in our worship, it was the first time that we have seen him cried, he sobbed. It was a live worship, we don't usually do live worships but when he prayed for the country and for mayor, it was aired live,” Cardona said.

 

Cardona maintained that Quiboloy does not meddle with government affairs because he is focused on spiritual matters.

Quiboloy called on his followers to prayer for Duterte as he faces the difficult task of governing the country.

 

“Now that the mayor has won, let us pray for his success. Let’s ask God the Father to grant him success,” the evangelist said.

 

“He will be facing a huge responsibility as president and he needs prayers. He has a lot of things to face and a lot of problems to solve. He needs all of us to pray for him,” he added.

 

Quiboloy said he fasted and stayed in a mountain for five days to pray for the country and the incoming administration.

 

“I prayed that the country, under the leadership of mayor (Duterte) will achieve real change,” he added. — Jonathan de Santos and Alexis Romero