From five down to four.

Senator Robin Padilla's efforts to block the contempt order by the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality against Pastor Apollo Quiboloy faltered on Thursday.

This, after Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito withdrew his support to the Reversal of Contempt Citation against Quiboloy, who is at the center of the Senate inquiry into the sexual and physical abuses in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Padilla earlier identified Ejercito as one of the five senators who signed the document to overturn the contempt order of the Senate panel, chaired by Senator Risa Hontiveros.

The other senators who signed the petition were Padilla himself, Senators Imee Marcos, Cynthia Villar, and Christopher 'Bong' Go."

In his letter to Padilla, Ejercito explained that he withdrew his support “after [a] thoughtful contemplation.”

“Serious allegations of rape during the last committee hearing of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality have prompted me to carefully review the facts, witness testimonies and additional information,” he said.

“Recently, I was also informed that the Department of Justice is already pursuing charges of sexual abuse, and qualified trafficking versus Pastor Quiboloy. This brought me to the decision to withdraw my signature,” he added.

Likewise, Ejercito stressed that the public hearing of the Senate panel “is a venue for the Pastor to clear his name.”

“I believe that our Committee Chairperson will facilitate a fair and impartial proceeding,” he said.

Quiboloy a hero?

During the resumption of the Senate panel’s investigation on Tuesday, Hontiveros, who was also presiding over the Senate panel’s investigation, ordered the arrest of Quiboloy for persistently ignoring the multiple subpoenas issued to him.

This, however, was requested to be recalled by Padilla, who later explained that he was against the contempt order because he deemed the church leader a “hero”.

“It’s democracy. I have personal reasons. My own reason – for me, Pastor has become a victim because he fought the NPA [New People’s Army],” Padilla said in Filipino in a press briefing.

“In my eyes, a hero like him who fought against the communists who I used to be with does not deserve this,” he added.

Padilla said Quiboloy, who previously admitted he was in hiding due to the alleged threats to his life, deserves his “support” to junk the investigation against the latter.

“I don’t believe that in this aid of legislation, we will be able to craft bills which will have an effect on the KOJC,” he said.

“That is a religion. I hope you understand,” he added.

Padilla has until Tuesday or 12 March to gather eight votes from the members of the Senate panel to be successful in his bid.

Prior to Ejercito’s withdrawal of support, Padilla said he was also eyeing to get the support of Senators Pia Cayetano and Mark Villar.

Meanwhile, he revealed that Senators Raffy Tulfo and Grace Poe declined to sign the petition to recall the contempt order against the controversial church leader.

Tulfo did not provide an explanation for his decision but noted that he “respects” the decision of Hontiveros as a chair of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality.

Likewise, he noted that it is the right of any panel’s members to have an opposite view on the matter.

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.

The remaining senator who is a member of the panel is Senator Nancy Binay, who is also its vice chairperson.