Apollo Quiboloy (Photo courtesy of Kingdom of Jesus Christ Facebook)
MANILA – The Senate's Office of Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA) was given the green light to arrest Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy after Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri signed the order on Tuesday.
This is due to Quiboloy's continued refusal to appear before the inquiry of the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality chaired by Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros into reported human trafficking, rape, sexual abuse and violence, and child abuse in KOJC.
"The Sergeant-at-Arms is hereby directed to carry out and implement this Order and make return hereof within 24 hours from its enforcement," the order said.
"Upon the motion of the undersigned Chairperson, and seconded by Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, during the March 5, 2024 hearing, hereby cites Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy in contempt of the Committee, and of the Senate, and ordered arrested and detained at the Office of Sergeant-at-Arms until such time that he will appear and testify in the Committee, or otherwise purges himself of that contempt."
In a press briefing on Monday, Hontiveros expressed her confidence that the OSAA, as the front-line security of the Senate, could execute the order after having served Quiboloy's subpoena in Davao City.
She also noted that the OSAA could ask for assistance from the Philippine National Police (PNP), if necessary.
With the order already in effect, the lawmaker expects Quiboloy to appear before the panel's next public hearing, along with the presence of witnesses with sworn statements and representatives of the Anti-Money Laundering Council.
Arrest order not a punishment
Meanwhile, Zubiri clarified that the arrest order is not a punishment to Quiboloy but "to make the inquiry potent and compelling."
Zubiri maintained that the order is a "committee matter" and only the committee should determine "the sufficiency of Pastor Quiboloy's response to the show cause order" which was earlier issued.
He said Hontiveros found no merit to Quiboloy's response and has decided to issue the order of arrest.
"Pursuant to our duly published Rules Governing Inquiries in Aid of Legislation and the Rules of the Senate, it is ministerial for me to sign the order of arrest. We are signing the order to protect our Committee system, to preserve the Senate's power of inquiry with process to enforce it," he added.
The Senate President also clarified that if Quiboloy appears during the next hearing and purges himself of contempt, there will be no need to order his arrest.
In a copy of the panel's ruling, Quiboloy was seeking "to raise the issue of the show cause order to the Senate plenary for a vote; recall the subpoena; and set aside the contempt order issued against him." (PNA)
