Law enforcers urged to locate Quiboloy for legal proceedings to start

In a press conference on Monday, House Deputy Speaker Rep. David Suarez (Quezon, 2nd District) said he is putting out a “gentle call out” to the country’s law enforcement agencies.

“We’ve been on a manhunt for how many months already,” Suarez said, adding that Quiboloy is facing a warrant issued by the Senate, while the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is also looking for him.

“This is also a gentle call-out to our law enforcement agencies to implement, look for him and put him in proper custody so that we can fully progress into the legal proceedings when it comes to the cases that he is now facing,” Suarez added.

Suarez, Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon (Ako Bicol) and Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong (Lanao del Sur, 1st District) also expressed support for the Department of Justice’s request to transfer Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s court cases from Davao City to Pasig City to ensure “neutrality.”

The Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder hails from Davao and is also a close ally of former president and Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

“For us to expect fair play and impartiality during the entire course of the legal proceedings, we need to change venues,” Bongalon said.

“Can you imagine victims of human trafficking will go to Davao City, where the incidents they experienced took place? … Maybe out of fear, they might not be able to testify,” Bongalon said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Aside from the charges lodged before the courts, Quiboloy also has a warrant of arrest from the Senate following his non-appearance to the investigation concerning the alleged abuses of his “church” the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

On March 7, Central District of California Judge Terry Hatter Jr. in the United States ordered the unsealing of arrest warrants against Quiboloy and his co-accused. — with reports by Ian Laqui