Senator Risa Hontiveros has publicly called on Apollo Quiboloy, the head of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), to partake in the Senate’s scrutiny concerning accusations of human trafficking and sexual misconduct associated with the church. Emphasizing the principle that nobody stands above the law, Hontiveros highlighted the Senate’s authority to mandate the presence of witnesses, regardless of their societal stature or connections.
Leading the Senate’s inquiry, Hontiveros underscored that various high-ranking officials, including Cabinet members, legislators, a serving Senate President, and even a former President, have previously honored Senate subpoenas to testify. She assured that Quiboloy’s constitutional rights would be respected, akin to all witnesses, asserting his equality before the law and the Senate’s jurisdiction.
Hontiveros voiced her expectations for Quiboloy’s appearance, criticizing his avoidance of the subpoena and his preference for communicating via an audio clip while branding a masked affidavit-presenting witness as cowardly. “The Senate remains open to hearing your side. We await your participation,” she remarked.
At the time of reporting, responses from Quiboloy or his legal representation, led by attorney Ferdinand Topacio, were still pending.
The necessity for Quiboloy’s Senate appearance was further cemented by a subpoena served last week, prepared on February 14 and endorsed by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on February 19. The move followed Quiboloy’s absence from an earlier Senate Committee session probing the alleged infractions linked to KOJC.
Quiboloy, who has expressed intentions to only address the accusations in court, faces the risk of arrest for non-compliance with the Senate’s summons. He recently implicated the United States government and Philippine officials in a purported scheme against him, amidst facing several charges in the US, including human trafficking and cash smuggling.
Additionally, the House of Representatives has summoned Quiboloy to partake in a separate inquiry regarding the potential revocation of Swara Sug Media Corporation’s franchise, which oversees Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), a platform associated with Quiboloy.