Quiboloy served Senate subpoena

He has been officially served — controversial church leader Apollo Quiboloy, that is, with the subpoena issued by the Senate.

A photo shared by the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality showed the subpoena was received by Marie Dinah Tolentino Fuentes, the counsel for the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, which Quiboloy founded and heads.

The subpoena ad testificandum (compelling his attendance) was received by Quiboloy’s camp on Thursday, 22 February.

The Senate panel, led by Senator Risa Hontiveros, issued the subpoena in connection with its ongoing investigation into the alleged physical and sexual abuse of women church members allegedly by Quiboloy and other KOJC members.

The Senate panel kicked off its probe last month without Quiboloy.

House warns Quiboloy

The House of Representatives, meanwhile, warned Quiboloy to physically appear before a congressional hearing on 12 March or face arrest.

The ultimatum followed Quiboloy’s continued no-show at numerous hearings of the House Committee on Legislative Franchises since December on alleged franchise violations by Sonshine Media Network International Network, of which lawmakers believe the religious leader is the “beneficial owner.”

Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. warned Quiboloy on Friday that he is not “exempt from the law,” therefore, the House will be compelled to impose the necessary sanctions should he snub their summons anew.

“We remind Pastor Quiboloy that he must comply with the subpoena, or we will have no choice but to hold him in contempt and proceed with his arrest,” Gonzales said.

Deputy Majority Leader Jude Acidre said Quiboloy cannot spare himself from legal penalties despite his “exalted view of himself.”

“I don’t think being an ‘appointed son of God’ puts you above the law, and I’m sure no one is above the law,” Acidre said in a press conference.

“In the House, we will implement the law. If he does not appear, then we will be constrained to execute the subpoena and make sure that he is here to answer the questions and issues raised against him,” he said.

Franchise violations

The House Committee on Legislative Franchises on Monday issued a subpoena to Quiboloy to appear at its next hearing on 12 March to testify on the SMNI’s alleged violation of its franchise under Republic Act 1142, which granted the network a 25-year franchise renewal in 2019.

The panel is currently deliberating a bill seeking to revoke the congressional franchise of SMNI for purported violations of Sections 10 and 11, especially 4 of RA 1142.

Assassination threat

Quiboloy, in an audio statement on 21 February, admitted he was in hiding for fear of his life owing to a supposed assassination threat against him by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, whom he accused of colluding with the United States to carry out the plot.

Quiboloy has been indicted on several criminal charges in the US, including conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, sex trafficking of children, fraud and coercion, conspiracy, and bulk cash smuggling.

SMNI, legally operating as Swara Sug Media Corporation, is facing an administrative case for alleged breach of the terms and conditions of its franchise, such as deliberately disseminating false information and willful misrepresentation against government officials and other entities.

Among these was the airing of a “false” report about Speaker Martin Romualdez, alleged to have incurred P1.8 billion in travel expenses, which House Secretary General Reginald Velasco debunked.

In January, the National Telecommunications Commission ordered the indefinite suspension of SMNI radio and television stations pending a hearing and final consideration of its administrative case in the agency.

Virtual appearance

Hontiveros previously said Quiboloy may request to attend the hearing virtually, however, on one condition.

“He must show us first his readiness to honor the subpoena and appear before the committee before he tries to ask for this kind of arrangement,” she said.

She warned Quiboloy that failure to show up at the Senate hearing despite the issuance of a subpoena would lead to his arrest.

Quiboloy, who served as the spiritual adviser of former president Rodrigo Duterte, has been declared one of the most wanted suspected sex traffickers by the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation.

In 2021, a Federal Grand Jury in California indicted the religious leader and other officials of KOJC over the sex trafficking of “pastorals” — young women in the KOJC selected to work as personal assistants to Quiboloy.