Not enough votes for Quiboloy at Senate

MANILA, Philippines —  There weren’t enough votes supporting pastor Apollo Quiboloy at the Senate, prompting the chamber to issue an order giving him 48 hours to explain why he should not be cited in contempt and be arrested for refusing to face a Senate probe.

Quiboloy’s Senate defenders failed to muster the eight signatures required to block the contempt order, with only Mark Villar joining his mother Cynthia along with Robinhood Padilla, Imee Marcos and Bong Go.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros said that she and Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri signed the show-cause order dated March 13 for Quiboloy to appear before the Senate.

Hontiveros yesterday denied Vice President Sara Duterte’s claim that the senator’s investigation on alleged sexual abuses committed in Apollo Quiboloy’s Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) is a form of “persecution” and “trial by publicity.”

At a press briefing, Hontiveros said her hearings as Senate women and family relations committee chairperson seek to strengthen labor and anti-human trafficking laws by looking into the former ministry members’ allegations that they were raped by the pastor and forced to raise money for his church and to fund his lifestyle.

“There is no trial by publicity here. The judgment on his innocence and guilt is within the court and outside the hands of the Senate,” she added.

The Senate also respected Quiboloy’s right to due process, after it issued a show cause order giving the pastor 48 hours to explain why he should not be cited in contempt for refusing to attend the hearings, according to Hontiveros.

Quiboloy’s lawyer has received the show cause order, the senator said, adding that this is the last chance for the pastor to respect Senate proceedings or else face arrest for contempt.

Hontiveros also questioned the Dutertes’ support for the pastor.

The Vice President’s father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, has been appointed as Quiboloy’s property administrator.

“Why are they making the effort to defend a person accused of serious offenses targeting the most vulnerable in the society?” Hontiveros said. “It is only becoming clear that the fortunes of the Dutertes and Quiboloy are intertwined.”

Arrest after 48 hours

If Quiboloy continues to ignore the show cause order of the Senate panel, he shall face arrest, according to Hontiveros..

“The meter is running, that is, for 48 hours, a non-extendable period, within that, upon receipt, within that 48 hours, Apollo Quiboloy must show cause, give an acceptable reason why he should not be arrested and finally appear here in the committee, in the Senate,” she told Senate reporters.

“If he still doesn’t give a good reason, the Senate will arrest him to appear before us,” she added.

‘Not a trial court’

A ranking official of the House of Representatives has set the record straight about remarks made by the Vice President on providing Quiboloy due process, reassuring her that this has been complied with, but clarifying that the chamber is not a trial court.

“I think the VP is referring to a trial court, but yes, we have already afforded him (Quiboloy) due process. But we are talking here about the legislative franchise of SMNI (Sonshine Media Network Inc.),” Parañaque City 2nd District Rep. Gus Tambunting, who chairs the House committee on legislative franchises, said.

“It was Congress that gave SMNI its legislative franchise, therefore, it is also Congress that can take back the franchise if we find out that there are violations,” Tambunting added.

As proof of his panel’s “compassion,” the lawmaker pointed out that they have accorded the self-styled “Son of God” more than enough time and leeway, extending up to tomorrow for him to show up or have himself arrested after the lawmakers cited him in contempt for refusal to attend.

“It shows how lenient we have been, even if we have already invited him several times since October 2023 to attend our hearings. In fact, his lawyers (did most of) the talking in our hearings. We have been listening to everybody,” Tambunting said, perhaps referring to Quiboloy’s legal counsel Ferdinand Topacio.

The House panel had issued a subpoena to Quiboloy after he consistently disregarded prior invitations to appear before the panel since late last year, as lawmakers sought to directly question Quiboloy regarding his role in SMNI.

Despite his lawyer’s claim that he serves merely as the “honorary chairman” and is not involved in daily operations, evidence gathered by the Tambunting panel have indicated that he is the “beneficial owner” of the Davao City-based network, which regularly broadcasts his preaching.  – Cecille Suerte Felipe, Delon Porcalla