Pasig court orders Quiboloy arrest

APasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) on Thursday, April 11, ordered the arrest of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy and his five coaccused on a non-bailable case of qualified human trafficking.

“This court, after personally examining the information and its supporting documents, finds probable cause for the arrest of all the accused. Let warrants of arrest be issued against them,” stated the three-page order issued by acting Presiding Judge Rainelda H. Estaciomontesa of the Pasig City RTC Branch 159.

Also ordered arrested were Quiboloy’s co-accused Jackielyn W. Roy, Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Ingrid C. Canada, and Sylvia Cemanes.

All of them were charged with violation of Section 4(a) of Republic Act No. 9208, the Anti-trafficking in Persons Act of 2003.

The Pasig case is related to the case filed in Davao City against Quiboloy and his five co-accused. Both cases involved a 17-year-old girl who was allegedly sexually abused by Quiboloy and maltreated by his co-accused.

In the Davao City case, Quiboloy’s five co-accused have posted bail. Quiboloy remained at large. They were charged with violations of Sections 10(a) and 5(b) of RA 7610, the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act.

In her order, Montesa denied the motion filed by the lawyers of Quiboloy who sought to defer the proceedings and hold in abeyance the issuance of the warrant of arrest since he has a pending motion for reconsideration before the Department of Justice (DOJ) to reverse the filing of cases against him in court.

But the judge ruled that “there is no basis for this court to suspend proceedings by reason of the filing of a motion for reconsideration on the Resolution of the petition for review before the Department of Justice as this is not one of the grounds stated under Section 11, Rule 116 of the Rules on Criminal Procedure.”

Thus, the judge said, the motion is “a prohibited motion.”

Quiboloy had earlier said that he will surrender only if there is a written guarantee from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil, and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Medardo de Lemos that the American government will not interfere with his cases in the Philippines.

Marcos has assured “we will exercise all the compassion to Pastor Quiboloy, whom we’ve known for a very long time.”

Remulla declared that “Quiboloy cannot impose any conditions” in surrendering to authorities.

Law enforcement agencies have proceeded to Quiboloy’s residence and other areas where he could be found but failed to locate him.