Senate issues show cause order to ACQ

The Senate on Tuesday night issued a show cause order to Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy for his persistent refusal to attend the Senate inquiry into his alleged crimes.

The document signed by Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri and Senator Risa Hontiveros, who chairs the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family and Gender Equality, directs Quiboloy to explain why he should not be ordered or detained.

The embattled church leader was given “non-extendible period” of 48 hours, or two days upon the receipt of the order to clear himself.

“The Sergeant-At-Arms is hereby directed to make a return hereof within twenty four (24) hours from its enforcement,” the document read.

“SO ORDERED. Issued this 13th day of March, 2024 at the City of Pasay,” it added.

Prior to this, Zubiri explained that a show cause order must be served first to Quiboloy before the upper chamber can issue a contempt order against him.

Citing a Supreme Court decision, Zubiri said the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality must exhaust “all legal avenues, in other words, due process.”

“So, my request to Senator Risa [Hontiveros], all she has to do is come up with another committee hearing really quickly, maybe today, maybe tomorrow, or Monday, to give a show cause order,” he told reporters in an ambush interview.

“Because it was stated in the Supreme Court ruling. I don’t want to be in violation of the Supreme Court ruling on the Pharmally issue,” he added.

To recall, the High Court last year declared the order of arrest and contempt case against Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. executive Linconn Ong and former presidential adviser Michael Yang a violation of their rights to due process.