Victims who survived their harrowing ordeal under the hands of Apollo Quiboloy’s Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), The Name Above Every Name church are now ready to testify before the Senate, Deputy Minority Leader Senator Risa Hontiveros said.

One of them, Hontiveros said is 15-year old “Jackson” who was recruited by the church together with his family. According to Hontiveros, “Jackson” was one of the children who was tasked to go around and solicit in the streets with a so-called “solicitation” letter for their organization or which they sometimes claim would be used to fund their education.

“Hindi natin alam, may malagim pala na sinasapit yung mga batang di masyadong nakakadelihensya ng malaki sa paglilimos. Sila po ay pinapalo, 20 lashes, 50 lashes, 100 lashes. May isa pang nagkwento, pinapaddle din daw (We are not aware, these children are tortured when they fail to meet a quota. They are flagged with 20 lashes, 50 lashes, 100 lashes. One even testified they are sometimes being paddled),” Hontiveros said in her privilege speech at the Senate plenary on Monday, December 11.

“I am in possession of testimonies to that effect,” she said.

Another minor also testified that after dating a girl, which is normal among teenagers, was threatened that his head would be bashed against the wall repeatedly. He was later imprisoned by the group.

According to the senator, the witness, who was a former member of Quiboloy’s church has left the organization after experiencing the horrors and witnessing the same on other minors who were still part of the group. The child, she said, was able to go back to school and study after leaving the KOJC.

Similar to the incidence of abuse suffered by women and children in the Socorro Bayanihan Services, Inc. in an isolated community in Barangay Kapihan in the Municipality of Socorro, their stories are terrifying, according to the legislator.

“Front and center of these narratives are the systemic sexual abuse of women and children in the hands of this man that they call Pastor,” Hontiveros said.

“And no, these are not crimes of the past for which we are holding Apollo Quiboloy to account. This is an ongoing offense. Patuloy na nangyayari (These are happening continually). The abuse of women and children is taking place as we speak, under the auspices of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ,” she pointed out.

“Habang ating icecelebrate ang kapanganakan ng sanggol na si Hesus, mayroong mga batang sinasaktan sa ngalan ng Kingdom of Jesus Christ (While we are here celebrating the birth of the child Jesus, there are so many children who are being abused in the name of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ),” she lamented.

“At kung paano ang maagap na tugon natin at ng buong gobyerno sa mga biktima ni Senyor Agila, sana ay ganyan din ang pagtugon sa mga biktima ng lider na ibabahagi ko ngayon. Sana mabilis din ang ating pagtugon sa mga biktima ni (Just how fast the government responded to the victims of Senyor Agila, I hope that our response to the victims of this leader would be the same. I hope we would respond quickly to the appeal of the victims of) Apollo Quiboloy,” she stressed.

The opposition lawmaker also said her office is in possession of an affidavit detailing the sexual abuse inflicted by Quiboloy himself on a minor. Likewise, she said, her office is in direct contact with a woman who, though not a minor when the sexual abuse happened, still lives with the trauma it has brought and continues to fear for her safety.

“These patterns and practices are persisting as we speak, and sustaining his other criminal activities,” added the senator.

“Hindi lang po sa Pilipinas ang mga krimen na ito, kundi sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng mundo (The crimes do not just happen in the Philippines, but also in other parts of the world). The international breadth of Apollo Quiboloy’s criminal activities is truly astounding,” she pointed out.

“Let us end this outrage, Mr. President. Let us save those children. Let us hold space for the victims who cower in silence and live in fear, and hope that they find their voice and their power,” she called on the Senate.

Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva later on referred Hontiveros’ speech to the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, which she also chairs.