The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) doesn't fear threats of "heavenly" rebuke from the controversial church leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, who to some people is the "appointed son of God".
Acting Undersecretary Jose Eduardo de Vega made this clarification Wednesday, Aug. 31 during the deliberation on the DFA's proposed 2023 budget before members of the House Committee on Appropriations.
"Filipino foreign service officers are always brave to challenge, to respond to any challenge. We are not afraid," De Vega told the panel.
The subject of Quiboloy was brought up in the budget hearing by Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel, who belongs to the militant Makabayan bloc.
The influential Quiboloy, head of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name (KOJC), grabbed headlines early this year after the United States (US) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) placed him on its most wanted list for sex trafficking and other charges.
Manuel enumerated the charges against the Quiboloy and wondered why the Philippine-US extradition treaty hasn't been tapped to supposed bring the pastor stateside. He then asked whether or not the DFA was "afraid" of the church leader.
"Gusto ko lang din malaman sa DFA kasi nagbabanta rin si Apollo Quiboloy. To quote, ito sabi niya noong November: Yung persecution daw sa kanya (I just want to know from the DFA because, Apollo Quiboloy has been making threats. To quote, this is what he said last November: The persecution against him) 'will lead to diseases worse than Omicron'," the youth solon said.
"Tapos to quote, kung gusto daw natin matigil yung pandemya, itigil daw natin yung persecution aa kanya (Again to quote, he said that if we what the pandemic to end, then we should stop persecuting him)," he added.
"Are you threatened? Kasi daw ganun eh, lalala yung pandemya (He claims that the pandemic will worsen) if anyone will act on this case and that includes the DFA," Manuel asked.
De Vega coolly answered in the negative. He also went on to explain how the extradition treaty between the two countries work.
"Dapat sa Philippine-US extradition treaty, sila unang mag-request (The should be the one to request under the Philippine-US extradition treaty)...as of now, we don't have the request," the DFA official said.
"And hindi rin natin gagawin na tayo magsasabi sa US, 'Request'(And we can't tell the US to make the request)...request the extradition of one of our citizens. In fact that is one reason under the extradition treaty with the US and other extradition treaties to deny a request," he explained.
"If it's your own citizen that you will send to the other country, you have the option to deny it," De Vega further said.
Manuel seemed satisfied with De Vega's assurance.
"I'm pleased to hear that. Kasi actually kung papakinggan nga yun di ba yung sinabi na yun (Because when you listen to him say those words), it sounds like a joke but, it's not a joke for him. Seryoso siya doon (He was serious with it)," he said.
"At least panatag ako na marinig sa DFA na hindi siya natatakot sa ganung banta (I'm at ease after hearing that the DFA is not afraid of those kinds of threats)."