The Davao City Police Office (DCPO) is not done with Apollo Quiboloy, disclosing recently that two alleged “sex slaves” were set to come out in the open and potentially worsen the legal predicament of the detained television evangelist.
As if these were not enough, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has announced that other officials of Quiboloy’s Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), including their lawyers, could be slapped with a case for obstruction of justice for allegedly assisting their leader to evade arrest.
On the newly-surfaced sexual abuse victims whose names were being withheld, DCPO Director Col. Hansel Marantan said in a press interview that the two came from the KOJC compound and both agreed to testify against the embattled religious leader.
“He raped them when they were as young as 13 years old and threatened them with the ‘angels of death’ if they broke the code of secrecy,” the police director alleged, adding that the so-called angels of death have already been made subject of deeper probe.
The Davao police director was clearly stunned by the alleged sexual crimes of the 74-year old pastor who styles himself as the “appointed son of God.”
“Sex slaves sila ni Quiboloy. Kasi grabe ang attraction ni Quiboloy sa mga minors na ito, that is why I call him a pedophile,” the city police chief said over national radio. (They were Quiboloy’s sex slaves. Because Quiboloy’s attraction to these minors is intense, that is why I call him a pedophile.)
Quiboloy’s lawyer said the alleged victims were “planted” and “manufactured.” Quiboloy is not capable of doing all allegations being attributed to him, according to lawyer Mark Tolentino.
“The accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt. And second accusation is not equivalent to guilt,” Atty. Tolentino also told reporters.
But Marantan claimed as many as five sex slaves approached the police during the 2-week siege at the KOJC that forced Quiboloy to give-up.
The police official said the three other victims were still undecided whether to press charges or not against their religious leader who is already burdened with charges of qualified human trafficking, a non-bailable case lodged in Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC); and a child abuse case pending at the Quezon City RTC.
Five of Quiboloy’s close aides have been named co-accused in those cases being heard by the two Metro Manila courts. They are Sylvia Cemañes, Jackielyn Roy, Cresente, Paulene Canada and Ingrid Canada.
In the United States, a grand jury has separately indicted Quiboloy for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, sex trafficking of children, and bulk cash smuggling.
Justice Sec. Jesus Crispin Remulla had said he expected the US government to file an extradition request for Quiboloy soon but the KOJC leader should face the charges filed against him in the Philippines first.
Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez separately said the extradition to the United States of Quiboloy is “inevitable.”
For the PNP, on the other hand, the forthcoming obstruction of justice case against the religious leaders and their lawyers would be a result of the prolonged siege at the sprawling KOJC headquarters.
“There are identified KOJC officers and legal representatives who have been very vocal from the start that Pastor Quiboloy was not inside the KOJC compound,” PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said during a press briefing September 16 at Camp Crame in Quezon City.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) under Police Major General Leo Francisco has been directed to lead the case build-up.
The CIDG is expected to “spearhead efforts to gather evidence and ensure that those complicit in harboring the fugitive are brought to justice,” the national police stressed.
In Congress, several lawmakers wanted former president Rodrigo Duterte to be covered by the probe. Manila Rep. Joel Chua said the former president cannot distance himself from Quiboloy, his spiritual adviser, because he was earlier appointed property administrator of KOJC where the pastor was found.
Duterte and other officials of KOJC had no immediate reaction.
