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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Quiboloy's lawyers say US sanctions lack due process

Quiboloy's lawyers say US sanctions lack due process

Published Dec 10, 2022 04:33 pm

The legal team of televangelist Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and his church, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), has lamented the alleged lack of due process when the United States imposed sanctions on their client, who they said is not convicted of any crime yet.

They made the reaction on Saturday after the US Treasury Department announced in its website sanctions against Quiboloy, including the blocking of his assets and prohibiting American citizens and entities from engaging with him, for allegedly violating "serious human rights abuses."

Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, one of the three counsel of Quiboloy who held a press conference following the US announcement, said the move of the American government "is a serious case of concern for all of us" and that it "should shock us no end."

"Never mind the guilt or innocence at this point. The fact remains that the US government, the executive branch of the US government, has already pronounced sentence upon our client," Topacio said.

"They have already taken action to sanction him or at the very least to birsmich... his good name," he added.

Joining Topacio in the briefing were Quiboloy's lawyers in the US: Michael Jay Green, KOJC General Counsel, and Manny Medrano, Quiboloy's personal legal counsel.

Screenshot 2022-12-10 at 3.28.40 PM

Green and Medrano both expressed shock over the Treasury Department's pronouncement and said they were "embarrassed" for being American.

"It's just a sad day. It's a pathetic day when the press release could be issued by the United States government to Department of Treasury based on mere allegations. No one has been convicted," Medrano said.

In issuing the sanction, the Treasury Department cited Quiboloy's indictment by the California federal prosecutors, which it said was a "serious human rights abuses."

Among allegations hurled against the self-proclaimed Appointed Son of God were his involvement in trafficking the 'pastorals' or the young women within the KOJC selected to work as personal assistants for Quiboloy; as well as in beating his pastorals and other church members.

Green, in the press conference, denied the allegations. He also called the accusers "dissidents," whose claims were supposedly being questioned by US authorities.

"The allegations are false. We are going to aggressively fight back," Medrano added.

Related Tags

legal team Apollo Quiboloy press conference Lawyers treasury department sanctions
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