Vice President Sara Duterte on Sunday, Aug. 25, asked forgiveness from members of embattled televangelist Apollo Quiboloy’s Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) for asking them to vote for President Marcos in the 2022 elections.
(From left) Vice President Sara Duterte and Pastor Apollo Quiboloy (Ali Vicoy/MANILA BULLETIN/KOJC)
This is the first time the official spoke of her remorse for backing Marcos’ presidency since leaving his Cabinet last month.
“Kaya nais ko ring humingi ng kapatawaran sa lahat ng miyembro, deboto at bumubuo ng Kingdom of Jesus Christ, sa paghikayat at pakiusap ko sa inyong iboto si Bongbong Marcos Jr. noong 2022 (That’s why I am asking for forgiveness from all members, devotees, and everyone in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ for urging and asking you to vote Bongbong Marcos Jr. in 2022),” she said in a statement.
“Nawa'y mapatawad ninyo ako (I hope you can forgive me),” Duterte added.
Duterte’s statement came after about 2,000 police officers from the Davao Regional Police Office 11 stormed the KOJC compound in Davao City to serve the warrant of arrest for Quiboloy, who is facing child sexual abuse and qualified human trafficking charges.
The police also blocked all entry and exit points of the compound, with reports saying a KOJC member died of a heart attack as policemen entered the compound.
The Vice President, who was one-half of the UniTeam tandem in 2022 with Marcos, furthered that perhaps the reason the police were using “extraordinary force” and “unjustified abuse” in serving the warrant of arrest was because the fugitive pastor was a known Duterte supporter.
She, however, clarified that she isn’t against the implementation of the warrant of arrest, but is only calling out the “unacceptable” use of violence against KOJC members.
“I vehemently condemn the gross abuse of police power in the takeover of the KOJC compound earlier today, which led to the harassment of religious worshipers, the abuse of minors, and the unnecessary loss of life,” she said.
“These acts are not only a blatant violation of Constitutionally-protected rights but a betrayal of the trust that we, Filipinos, place in the very institution sworn to protect and serve us,” Duterte added.
A self-proclaimed “appointed Son of God,” Quiboloy has standing warrants of arrest from the Davao City and Pasig City courts for qualified human trafficking, sexual abuse of minors, and maltreatment charges.
He has five other co-accused—Paulene Canada, who was arrested last month, and others namely, Cresente Canada, Ingrid Canada, Jackielyn Roy, and Sylvia Cemanes, who remain at large.
Quiboloy is also wanted by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for sex abuse and human trafficking.