Senate issues arrest order vs. Quiboloy

The Senate on Tuesday officially released an arrest order against Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy for “unduly refusing to appear, despite due notices” at the hearings of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senator Risa Hontiveros signed the document on Tuesday.

The document was released a day after Hontiveros, who leads the investigation against the KOJC leader, said that the Senate panel found that Quiboloy’s response to the Senate’s show cause order is “nowhere near satisfactory.”

“[T]herefore, upon motion of the undersigned Chairperson, and seconded by Senator Aquilino ‘Koko’ Pimentel III, the Committee, 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 the Sergeant-At-Arms until such time that he will appear and testify in the Committee, or otherwise purges himself of that contempt,” the arrest order read.

The Senate Sergeant-at-Arms was directed to carry out and implement the arrest order and return it within 24 hours from its enforcement.

GMA News Online sought the comment of Quiboloy’s lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, but he has yet to respond as of posting time.

In response to the Senate’s show cause order issued on March 13, Quiboloy’s lawyer Melanio Balayan urged that the contempt order be set aside and deny the issuance of a warrant of arrest against the KOJC leader, recall of the subpoenas issued by the Senate, and discuss their response to the show cause order at the Senate plenary.

He argued that Senate’s move to compel the appearance of his client is “tantamount to usurpation of judicial functions beyond the powers of the Senate” and that the resolution filed by Hontiveros is “incriminatory as it categorically declared the guilt” of the KOJC leader “totally disregarding… presumption of innocence until proven guilty.”

Balayan further asserted that the refusal of Quiboloy to attend the probe is “not a sign of disrespect” to the Senate nor a disregard of its powers and functions “but is purely based on the fact that the criminal allegations against him can only be legitimately settled before the competent courts.”

House probe, US court

The House of Representatives is also deliberating on House Bill 9710, which seeks to revoke the franchise of Swara Sug Media Corp., the operator of KOJC’s broadcast arm Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI).

In a text message to GMA Integrated News, Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, vice chair of the House Committee on Legislative Franchises, said the contempt order against Quiboloy would be served on March 18, Monday.

Last March 7, Central District of California Judge Terry Hatter Jr. ordered the unsealing of the arrest warrants against Quiboloy and his co-accused in the KOJC leader’s case, which involves charges of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud, coercion, sex trafficking of children, conspiracy, and cash smuggling. — VDV, GMA Integrated News