Apollo Quiboloy (MANILA BULLETIN)

The House Committee on Legislative Franchises has cited for contempt Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) church leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and ordered his arrest by the House sergeant-at-arms. 

These separate actions were approved by panel chairman Parañaque City 2nd district Rep. Gus Tambunting during a hearing Tuesday, March 12, which Quiboloy didn't attend despite a standing subpoena. 

Vice Chairman Surigao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Johnny Pimentel moved for Quiboloy to be  cited for contempt, as he noted the latter's lack of respect to the panel as shown by his non-apperance. 

Meanwhile, the motion for the sergeant-at-arms to bring in the controversial pastor was made by ABANG LINGKOD Party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano. He asked the sergeant-at-arms to coordinate with the Philippine National Police (PNP). 

None of the panel members objected to either motion. 

"On a unanimous vote...Pastor Quiboloy is cited for contempt," Tambuntig said. 

"The chair, hearing no objection, the motion...to direct the sergeant-at-arms to bring Pastor Quiboloy to the House premises is hereby approved," he said in a subsequent ruling. 

The committee is investigating the alleged franchise violations of television network SMNI, formally known as Swara Sug. Among those discussed was the cancelation of SMNI's franchise. 

Including the subpoena, Quiboloy--honorary chairman of SMNI and widely known as the pastor of the network--has been invited by the Tambunting panel a total of three times. He has never showed up. 

Pimentel says that the panel has the power to punish Quiboloy for his refusal to obey summons. 

MUST READ: 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/3/12/topacio-confirms-quiboloy-is-still-in-the-philippines

"The fact that he has not been appearing in these hearings, in this committee, just shows that he has no respect for this committee. It just shows that he acts like God, he acts with impunity, he takes this hearing granted. Ipinagwawalang-bahala niya, importante po siya dito," said the vice chairman. 

(He is ignoring this, yet he is important here.)

Quiboloy is the self-proclaimed "Appointed Son of God". He is the spiritual adviser of former president Rodrigo Duterte. 

Quiboloy's legal counsel, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, said he personally advised the pastor not to appear before the committee since he believes that his client did not have the personality to answer the solons' questions on SMNI. 

"It's just an honorific," Topacio said of Quiboloy's honorary chairman title at SMNI. He instead accompanied to the hearing three people as substitute for Quiboloy, and who are supposedly pertinent enough to respond to the solons.

But one of the three--KOJC Executive Pastor Marlon Acobo--refused to even speak to the panel in either Filipino or English. He said he "preferred" to speak in Bisaya.