Imee joins Padilla in opposing contempt order vs. Quiboloy

Senator Imee Marcos on Wednesday said she would join Senator Robin Padilla’s move to block the contempt order against Pastor Apollo Quiboloy concerning the latter’s persistent refusal to attend a Senate inquiry.

“Senator Robin and I agreed to sign a petition last night to recall the contempt order,” Senator Marcos told reporters in a press briefing.

Quiboloy was ordered to be arrested by Senator Risa Hontiveros for refusing to attend the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality’s investigation despite the issuance of two subpoenas against him.

The Senate panel is currently conducting an investigation, in aid of legislation, into the alleged sexual and physical abuses committed by Quiboloy to members of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

‘It seems not right’

Marcos explained that she does support the contempt order against Quiboloy because “it seems not right.”

“There were many reasons. One of them was the pending case in Congress. We don't want to pressure people; they have the right to due process, to defend themselves,” she said.

“Other accusations took a long time, why only now? Maybe someone is behind this. There's also a [pending] case in court. Let's calm down; let's not oppress the person,” she added.

According to Hontiveros, Padilla has seven days to gather the support of at least three-fourths of the committee members to overturn the contempt order.

The Senate panel is composed of 14 members, including ex officio members such as Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, and Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III.

So far, Marcos said at least two more senators have signified their intent to join the move to block the contempt order.

“We will be joined by Senators [Christopher “Bong”] Go, Cynthia [Villar],” she said. “But we have yet to reach the eight votes requirements.”

Quiboloy, who admitted to hiding due to alleged threats to his life, skipped the Senate inquiry on Tuesday but sent a letter addressed to the panel’s chair, Hontiveros and Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri.

In the letter from his lawyer Melanio Balayan, the self-proclaimed “Appointed Son of God” requested the recall of the subpoena issued against him.

Balayan said the subpoena is a “wanton violation of the fundamental and sacred constitutional rights of our Client against self-incrimination and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.”