Pastor Apollo Quiboloy (INQUIRER file photo / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE)
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Risa Hontiveros, who pushed to cancel Apollo Quiboloy’s gun permit, now aims to revoke his passport.
Quiboloy, leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC), faces arrest orders from two courts and the Senate due to allegations including sexual abuse and human trafficking.
Quiboloy, however, remains at large.
“Imbes na magpakita sa Senado o sa mga korte, panay record ng audio message na tila nang-iinsulto pa sa kakayanan ng gubyerno na matuntun siya,” Hontiveros lamented in a statement on Monday.
(Instead of appearing before the Senate or the courts, he continuously records audio messages that seem to insult the government’s ability to apprehend him.)
“This is appalling. This should not be allowed to pass, but only challenge government more to exhaust all means to restrict his movements,” she said.
As head of the Senate committee on women, Hontiveros led the probe on Quiboloy and his church’s alleged violations.
It was then her committee that recommended the chamber’s issuance of the warrant of arrest against the KJC leader.
“The world is closing in on him. He is accused of crimes that transcend continents and nationalities. Tiwala ako na maraming bansa ang handang makipagtulungan sa Pilipinas para papanagutin siya,” the senator said.
(The world is closing in on him. He is accused of crimes that transcend continents and nationalities. I trust that many countries are willing to cooperate with the Philippines to hold him accountable.)
“Kung ang puganteng Kongresista ay nahuli, sana naman maaresto din ang puganteng religious leader. Maliit ang mundo. Hindi niya matatakasan ang batas habambuhay,” Hontiveros added.
(If the corrupt congressman was caught, I hope the corrupt religious leader will also be arrested. The world is small. He cannot escape the law for life.)
She was apparently referring to former Negros Oriental 3rd District Representative Arnolfo Teves Jr, whose passport has also been cancelled by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
Teves has been accused of orchestrating the killing of Governor Roel Degamo and nine others in Negros Oriental in March last year.
DFA Spokesperson Teresita Daza previously explained that when a passport is cancelled, it would be a “red flag for any application in all DFA consular offices within and outside the Philippines.”
The cancellation of the passport, Daza, said, is also reported to the Bureau of Immigration and the Interpol office in the Philippines.
“The Interpol office in PH will report this cancellation to Interpol HQ which will put the passport in its alert system in all international border controls,” she further explained.
READ: PNP chief on Quiboloy’s arrest: We are working on it
PNP revokes Quiboloy’s gun licenses