Vice President Sara Duterte believes that Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC)’s fugitive leader Apollo Quiboloy is no longer in Davao City and has instead gone to “heaven.”
(From left) Vice President Sara Duterte and Pastor Apollo Quiboloy (File Photo/MANILA BULLETIN/KOJC)
Duterte said this in a media interview in Davao City, where she attended KOJC’s 39th Anniversary of the Feast of the Passover on Sunday night, Sept. 1.
“Personally, I think wala na siya dito sa Pilipinas . . . Ako, kung one guess kung nasaan si Pastor Quiboloy, nasa langit (he’s not here in the Philippines . . . Me, if there’s one guess where Pastor Quiboloy is, he’s in heaven),” she jokingly told reporters in Davao City, where the police has been also conducting search operations to find the embattled televangelist.
Quiboloy, who proclaimed himself the “Appointed Son of God” and “Owner of the Universe,” is facing child sexual abuse and qualified human trafficking charges, and is currently being hunted by the Philippine National Police (PNP) following an arrest warrant.
He is also in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Most Wanted list.
In the story of the Bible, Jesus ascended to heaven on the 40th day after His resurrection. This marked His entry into the realm of God the Father.
Duterte claimed that the KOJC leader has had enough time to think about leaving, and that the administration should rethink its priorities because it failed to catch Quiboloy as it was busy with its “grandstanding” in the committee hearing.
“You know, this has been going on for nine days, ang assault sa inyong (the assault on your) Kingdom Nation and I could not come earlier dahil meron din atake sa Opisina ng Pangalawang Pangulo at hindi ko maiwanan ang aking mga kasamahan sa OVP (because there were also attacks against the Office of the Vice President and I cannot leave my people in the OVP),” she said.
“But always remember na wala man ako lagi sa mga masasayang araw ninyo, pero nandito ako lagi sa inyong kalungkutan (I may not be here in your happy days, but I will always be here in times of your sadness),” the official added.
Meanwhile, she once more asked forgiveness from KOJC members for asking them to vote for President Marcos, who was her running mate during the 2022 national elections.
“Hinihingi ko lang ang patawad ninyo na nagkamali ako, nagkamali ako sa paghingi ng tulong at suporta nyo para kay Pangulong Bongbong Marcos (I am just asking for your forgiveness because I was wrong, I was wrong in asking for your help and support for President Bongbong Marcos),” Duterte said.
“I was on the mistaken belief that we were together on the platform of unity and continuity. Nagkamali ako kaya hinihingi ko ang patawad ninyo (I was wrong, so I’m asking for your forgiveness),” she added.