OF SUBSTANCE AND SPIRIT
During the Spanish Inquisition between 1478 and 1834, religious activities were above the law. The Inquisition even transformed into a judicial institution in order to combat what the royal throne considered heresy in Spain. Under the Grand Inquisitor Tomás de Torquemada, torture and confiscation were used to terrorize his victims, for indeed during his time, judicial procedure was by design ruthless. This is the dark side of “faith.”
Preacher Apollo Quiboloy of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) is the subject of a Senate probe on alleged “large-scale human trafficking, rape, sexual abuse, violence and child abuse.” What Senator Risa Hontiveros, chair of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality intends to establish is the truth behind the accusations of Quiboloy’s former associates. Any material insight from the probe is supposed to help improve criminal justice involving children, women and other vulnerable sectors in Philippine society.
For Quiboloy’s alleged offenses are not limited in the Philippines.
In the United States, Quiboloy made it to the most wanted list of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation for “94 overt acts.” Since Nov. 10, 2021, an arrest order has been issued by the US District Court in Sta. Ana, California for Quiboloy and eight of his associates. Trial was supposed to have been conducted in March 2023 but it was moved to Nov. 2024 to give all parties more time to prepare.
The Senate investigation to be sure is far from a religious inquisition.
But Quiboloy opted to snub the invitation thrice. He declined these invitations because to him, the Senate investigation “is not in aid of legislation but is tantamount to usurpation of judicial functions beyond the powers of the Senate.”
But what Quiboloy displayed is nothing less than an arrogant disrespect of the Philippine Senate. He acted as if he is above the law.
Contrary to Quiboloy’s claim, the Senate Committee is authorized under Section 17 of the Senate rules governing the conduct of committee investigations. Hontiveros’ committee was tasked by the Philippine Senate to look into allegations of various violations involving the preacher and his global church. The committee’s authority includes the power to summon witnesses, take their testimony and issue subpoenas. Under Section 18, such witnesses, if they defy the Senate, can be declared in contempt, arrested and detained.
Quiboloy’s camp also claimed that the Senate resolution calling for the probe is “brazenly incriminatory.” Quiboloy argued that his refusal “is not a sign of disrespect to the honorable Senate nor a disregard of its powers and functions but is purely based on the fact that the criminal accusations against him can only be legitimately settled before the competent courts.”
As a preacher of the Gospel, Quiboloy could have taken the moral high ground. Romans 13, which Quiboloy must have preached in his own church, mandates everyone to submit himself to the governing authorities for, as it underscores, “there is no authority except that which God has established.” He could have modestly honored the Senate’s invitation, attended the hearing and explained his side of the story.
Even Jesus did not resist arrest even as He chose to be silent during his own mock trial. Of course, Pilate never saw a threat in Him when He said “My kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36)
Definitely, it is not for a man of the cloth to question whether the Senate is the proper body to investigate his case which has so far put the Philippines in a bad light. Time Magazine covered his indictment for various crimes as an evangelist from the Philippines. The Senate itself does not pretend to establish his guilt or innocence; it simply aims to look for ways to help improve criminal justice by legislation.
Unfortunately, Quiboloy also declined the invitation of the House of Representatives that is now probing into his involvement with SMNI whose broadcast franchise was suspended over alleged violations.
Quiboloy’s refusal to attend congressional investigations must be the product of his own discernment that he would be granted his wishes for the proper courts to try his cases. Indeed, the Justice Department on March 4 ordered the filing of charges for child abuse and qualified human trafficking against him in Davao and Pasig. Secretary Crispin Remulla also reversed a June 2020 resolution by Davao prosecutors dismissing the complaint against Quiboloy. They were instead ordered to file appropriate charges against the Davao preacher.
As we write this column, the Senate has been reported to have ordered the arrest and detention of Quiboloy for contempt. The Senate’s Sergeant-at-Arms will keep Quiboloy until his appearance at the Senate floor.
But we wish Senate President Migs Zubiri did not have to clarify his signature was only ministerial, clarifying he had to defer to Hontiveros’ request for the arrest order because Quiboloy’s explanations were not satisfactory, and that backchanneling was resorted to. One wonders after the Senate investigation, what comes next?
Another angle is also disturbing. Secretary Remulla’s explanation that the filing of charges “effectively prevents Quiboloy from getting extradited to another country, particularly the United States, where he faces multiple charges of sex abuse and labor trafficking.” Is this good or bad?
The dark side of “faith” is something to reckon with.