Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder Apollo Quiboloy has been cited for contempt for his continued defiance to appear before a congressional hearing.
The House Committee on Legislative Franchises, during its Tuesday's hearing into alleged gross violations committed by the Sonshine Media Network International, unanimously approved to hold the embattled religious leader for contempt after he snub, for the nth time, the summon of the panel.
Panel vice chairperson Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, who moved for the contempt order, cited Section 11 of the House Rules, which grants the committee to impose sanction to any person who refuses to obey the summons and acts in a disrespectful manner.
"In this case, although he is not present, the fact he has not been appearing in these hearings, in this committee, just shows that he has no respect for this committee," Pimentel lamented. "It just shows that he acts like God, he acts with impunity, he takes this hearing for granted."
Quiboloy's no-show at the hearing despite being subpoenaed is a "very clear" indication that he has no intention to attend even in the subsequent inquiries, according to Pimentel.
Quiboloy's legal counsel, Ferdinand Topacio, attempted—but failed—to object the motion by citing the letter they have sent to panel chairperson Paranaque Rep. Gustavo Tambunting over the weekend, seeking to inhibit the religious leader to the probe.
"With all due respect, we believe we have provided legal justification for the non-presence of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy in our letter to the committee," Topacio told the panel.
In the letter, Quiboloy's camp asserted that his role in the SMNI officially ended after its franchise renewal in August 2019; thus, he does not possess the specific details or documents that the panel would ask for.
However, committee members did not buy the rationale and steadfastly maintained that Quiboloy is SMNI's "beneficial owner."
To dispel the notion that they are evading the subpoena, Topacio brought three KoJC executives, whom he claimed are in the "best position more than Quiboloy" and have been active in the church's affairs since 2022, to shed light on the issues.
Pimentel, however, countered that the fact that Quiboloy has yet to appear before the committee since the launch of the probe in November is the matter in hand.
"Mr. Chair, we are just prolonging this issue. We know very well that whatever Atty. Topacio says he was hired by Pastor Quiboloy as a legal counsel. It's his job to delay this contempt. These are just delaying tactics," Pimentel contended.
Topacio, meanwhile, acknowledged Pimentel's misgivings; however, he contended that the committee should rather "err on the side of constitutional rights rather than expediency."
Moreover, Topacio appealed that the committee accords them "due process."
The Philippine National Police would be on a hunt for Quiboloy after Tambunting carried Abang Lingkod Partylist Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano's motion to direct the House sergeant-at-arms to bring the pastor to the House premises.
SMNI, legally operating as Swara Sug Media Corporation, has been on the receiving end of the panel's wrath for purported violations of its congressional franchise under Republic Act 1142, which granted the network a 25-year franchise in August 2019.
