Pastor Apollo Quiboloy (left), Vice President Sara Duterte (MANILA BULLETIN, Facebook)

The House of Representatives has accorded Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) church leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy due process of law and enough time to explain his side as far as Parañaque City 2nd district Rep. Gus Tambunting is concerned. 

Tambunting, chairman of the House Committee on Legislative Franchises, gave this statement Wednesday, March 13 in response to Vice President Sara Duterte call for a “fair trial” for Quiboloy. 

The Vice President made the appeal in a statement broadcast by Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), which is identified with Quiboloy. 

“Well, I think she was mentioning, dapat sa korte (it should be held in court). Ginagalang po natin ang opinion niya (We respect her opinion)," Tambunting, chairman of the House Commitee on Legislative Franchises, said in a press conference. 

"Dito naman po sa Kongreso, ang pinag-uusapan po ay iyong prangkisa ng SMNI at iyon po ay ibinigay ng Kongreso. Kung ito po ay binigay ng Kongreso, Kongreso rin po lang ang puwedeng bumawi po nito," he said. 

(Here in Congress, we're talking about the franchise of SMNI, which was given by Congress. If it was given by Congress, then only Congress may take it away.) 

On Tuesday, March 12, The Tambunting committee cited Quiboloy for contempt and ordered the House sergeant-at-arms to bring him to the House premises in Batasan, Quezon City. This, after the controversial pastor--known as the founder of SMNI--failed to attend the series of panel hearings despite multiple invitations, including a subpoena. 

“As far as due process is concerned, dito po sa hearing namin, six months has been given, five months of hearing, six hearings were conducted. And palagay ko, mas maraming sinabi ang kampo ni SMNI kesa po sa mga congressmen. Talaga po lahat po ng kanilang paliwanag ay ating pinakinggan at pinagbigyan po natin lahat ng katanungan nila,” he said. 

(In our hearings, six hearings have been conducted in a five-month period. And I think the SMNI camp said more things than the congressmen. We listened to all of their explanations and we addressed all of their questions.) 

Tambunting said that his committee even gave in to lawyer Ferdinand Topacio's request for the House to delay the implementation of its arrest order to Quiboloy until Friday, March 15. 

READ THIS:

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

"So talaga ho lahat ho ng pagbibibgay at luwag ay binigay ho namin during the five-month hearing," the veteran congressman said. 

(So we have really been really generous and lenient during the five month hearing.) 

The committee has been investigating the alleged franchise violations of SMNI, officially known as Swara Sug. 

Also on Tuesday, the House panel endorsed plenary approval of a bill terminating SMNI’s broadcasting privilege for allegedly violating at least four conditions in its franchise, including the mandate to be fair and accurate in its broadcasting, dispersal of at least 30 percent of its shares of stock to the public, obtaining the permission of Congress for its change of ownership, and the reportorial requirement.