MANILA, PHILIPPINES – A regional court has ordered the arrest of doomsday preacher Apollo Quiboloy and several others for child and sexual abuse, according to a warrant obtained by Rappler.
An arrest warrant was issued on March 14 for Quiboloy and five of his associates, namely Jackielyn Roy, Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Ingrid Canada, and Sylvia Cemañes, by Judge Dante Baguio of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 12 in the Davao region.
“Upon a judicious examination and perusal of the Information, the records of the preliminary investigation, including the affidavits and written statements, and other attachments to the Information, the Court finds probable cause to issue Warrant of Arrest,” the court order said.
Earlier on March 19, the Senate had ordered the arrest of Quiboloy for “unduly refusing to appear” at the upper chamber’s inquiry into his alleged human rights abuses.
The Senate Committee on Women, children, family relations, and gender equality, led by Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros, conducted hearings into allegations of “large-scale human trafficking, rape, sexual abuse and violence, and child abuse” in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC).
Former members testified about alleged abuses of Quiboloy and his church associates before the committee in hearings that started in January.
Their testimonies – including that of two Ukrainian women – alleged that the KOJC pastor sexually abused them in the name of religion. These are consistent with, and corroborated by, other allegations also made by former KOJC members in the US against Quiboloy.
Quiboloy and eight of his associates were indicted by a federal grand jury in a US District Court in Santa Ana, California, in 2021. The Davao-based preacher is on the US Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) most-wanted list.
Hontiveros welcomed the issuance of a court arrest warrant and expressed optimism that Quiboloy would be arrested in time for the next Senate committee hearing.
“Bilang na ang masasayang araw ni Apollo Quiboloy. Halos lahat na ng institusyon sa Pilipinas ay gumagalaw para mapanagot siya,” she said.
Hontiveros, addressing Quiboloy, urged the controversial preacher to face the accusations leveled at him, submit to legal processes, and stop the theatrics.
“Kung walang kasalanan, hindi kailangang magtago,” Hontiveros added.
Keep Reading: Quiboloy: pinag-aagawan ako ng babae
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