Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
Senator Robinhood Padilla will only need to convince three more senators to overturn the contempt order issued against Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy.
In a press conference, Padilla disclosed that those who have joined him in opposing the contempt order are Senators Christopher “Bong” Go, Imee Marcos, Cynthia Villar, and JV Ejercito.
According to Padilla, it’s not a matter of being friends with Quiboloy stating that cases against the latter are already being handled by the Department of Justice (DOJ). He also expressed belief that it’s excessive for the Senate, the House of Representatives (HOR), and the judiciary to conduct an investigation on him.
He added that if processes like this would continue, it would lead to the crafting of a proposed measure that seeks to meddle with another’s religion.
“Dito sa nakikita ko, pagka nagpatuloy sa ganitong proseso parang sinasaklawan na natin, magkakaroon ba tayo ng panukala na sasagasaan natin ang religion? Papunta na ito. Wala na kay Pastor, napupunta na doon sa buong organization. Sa buong religion nila (From what I see, if processes like this continue, will we have proposed bills that will meddle with religion? It’s going there. This is not about him, it’s heading to the whole organization. To their whole religion),” Padilla said in a press briefing at the Senate on Thursday, March 7.
“Para sa akin, tutal nandiyan ang judiciary, sila pwede magsagawa ng imbestigasyon at magbigay ng parusa. Siguro pagkatapos nila magdesisyon at ano ilabas ng juddiciary, yan kunin namin sa legislative at doon kami in aid of legislation gumawa ng batas (For me, since the judiciary is there, they can conduct the investigation and punish him. Perhaps after the judiciary decides on this, we the legislative, can in aid of legislation, create a law),” he added.
Padilla mentioned that he never once attended the hearing before investigating the leader of Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc. (SBSI) or the Socorro ‘cult’ Jey Rence Quilario. He said that when it comes to religion, he always takes a step back.
“Kasi nasa loob ko na yan na pag ganito pinaguusapan natin ay grupo ng mga taong may pananampalataya, nasa akin lagi ang teka muna, medyo mag ingat tayo sa usaping ito (Because for me when we’re talking about the faith of a group of people, I always take precaution and approach with care when discussing it),” he added.
In a separate interview, Sen. Cynthia Villar stated that she has known Quiboloy for years and for her, he does not seem like someone who would do the things that he’s being accused of.
“Matagal ko na siya kilala. Parang di naman siya yung gagawa ng ganon. Kami ni Imee pareho namin siya kilala. As well yung mga mindanaoan. Maayos naman siya. Nagtataka nga ako bakit may nagkaso ng ganyan. Minsan naman yung kaso mali rin eh (I’ve known him for a long time. I don’t think he will do the things he’s accused of. Me and Imee [Marcos] know him. I’m actually confused why there’s cases like that against him. Sometimes the cases are wrong too),” she said.
“Ewan ko kung nagkamali ako ng pagkakilala sa kanya basta’t the way I know him (I don’t know if I’m wrong about him, but that’s the way I knew him),” she added.
In a statement, Ejercito said that he signed the objection letter based on the fact that the DOJ has already pursued charges of sexual abuse and qualified trafficking against Quiboloy.
“I believe it is appropriate for the agency to investigate this sensitive issue,” he said.
“Pastor Quiboloy should face the charges before the DOJ to prove his innocence and ensure due process,” he added.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality cited in contempt and requested the arrest of Quiboloy after skipping the latest hearing on the investigation of the human trafficking, sexual abuses, and forced labor allegations hurled against him.
Quiboloy’s lawyer, Melanio Elvis Balayan sent a letter to the committee stating: “compelling Pastor Quiboloy to appear before a committee that already pronounced him guilty would be violative of his constitutional right against self-incrimination and to be presumed innocent unless proven guilty.”
However, Hontiveros said that if they would allow witnesses of the Senate to simply claim that appearing before a committee would violate his or her constitutional right to be presumed innocent and his or her right against self-incrimination, the Senate would lose its power to conduct investigations and it would be easy for corrupt officials to evade hearings of the Blue Ribbon Committee and investigations of the Public Order Committee involved in crime.
“Hindi po uubra ang ganitong mga excuse (These excuses won’t work),” Hontiveros said.
Padilla objected to the decision of the committee to cite Quiboloy in contempt but he did not state his reason during the hearing.
Hontiveros said that a majority of all members of the committee may reverse or modify the aforesaid order of contempt within seven days.
The committee’s members include Hontiveros, her vice chair Sen. Nancy Binay, Villar, Marcos, Go, Padilla, Ejercito, Grace Poe, Raffy Tulfo, Pia Cayetano, and Mark Villar.
Its ex-officio members are Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, and Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III.
Tulfo and Poe did not sign Padilla’s objection letter.
Tulfo said that he respects Hontiveros’ decision and that other committees have a right to have a different opinion. — Dhel Nazario
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Credit belongs to: www.mb.com.ph
