The self-proclaimed “Appointed Son of God”, Pastor Apollo Quiboloy (Kingdom of Jesus Christ)

La Union 1st district Rep. Francisco Paolo Ortega said Pastor Apollo Quiboloy has no option but to participate in the House panel investigation on the alleged violations of his television network SMNI.

“Pag pina-subpoena ka kasi ng House or ng Senate kailangan mong mag-appear para ma-conduct ng [Senate] yung inquiry nila at yung investigation ng House,” said Ortega in a press conference on Wednesday, Feb. 21.

(When you are subpoenaed by the House or the Senate, you must appear so that the Senate can conduct their inquiry and the House can do its investigation.)

On Monday, the House of Representatives issued a subpoena against Quiboloy, and directed him to appear before the Committee on Legislative Franchises on March 12.

Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales said the committee has already sent the subpoena to the religious leader.

“Magkita-kita na lang po tayo ni Pastor Quiboloy sa March 12 (We will just meet with Pastor Quiboloy on March 12),” he said during a separate presser Wednesday. 

The legislative franchises panel is looking into the franchise revocation of controversial network SMNI over various alleged violations, such as the supposed deliberate spread of false information.

The Senate, meanwhile, has ordered Quiboloy to appear on March 5 for its inquiry into the cases of sex trafficking, rape, and physical abuse of women and children filed against him and officials of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC).

In a statement on Wednesday, the self-proclaimed “Appointed Son of God” revealed that he was in hiding for fear of his life.

He has also exonerated SMNI from any of its alleged violations.

“Hinahamon ko kayong pumunta sa korte sapagkat ang SMNI, walang kasalanan ginurgur ninyo sapagkat idinadawit ninyo kami sa politika. Inalis ninyo ang aming malayang pagpapahayag, ang aming press freedom, pati ang liberty ko na at aking freedom,” said Quiboloy.

(I challenge you to go to court because SMNI is innocent, you are implicating us because of politics. You have taken away our freedom of expression, our press freedom, as well as my liberty and my freedom.)

He noted that this rigid persecution, such as the cases before him that had been reported by United States' (US) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), were all because of his close relationship with former president Rodrigo Duterte and his family, including Vice President Sara Duterte.

SMNI's operations had eatelier been suspended indefinitely by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).