The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Monday stand behind the victims of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KoJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy.

In a statement, the DSWD said the department “stands for protecting those who cannot protect themselves.”

“As the agency tasked with safeguarding the well-being of our nation’s most vulnerable, the DSWD cannot stay silent in the face of the serious charges against Mr. Apollo Quiboloy. The allegations of human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and abuse of minors strike at the very core of what we stand for: protecting those who cannot protect themselves.”

“President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has often expressed how deeply he is affected by the suffering of the innocent. He speaks for so many of us when he says that nothing is more painful than seeing a child in need, in pain, or left without hope. It is this same pain that drives our work at the DSWD,” the department’s statement read.

“It is particularly painful when public figures, who should be champions of justice and defenders of the vulnerable, seem to downplay these horrific acts or align themselves with those accused of such egregious crimes. We must never forget that behind every case are real children, real mothers, and real families who are suffering,” it added.

The agency also pointed out its commitment in protecting the rights of every Filipino child and believed in the judicial process.

“The DSWD stands with these victims. We are committed to ensuring that they receive the justice they deserve and that their voices are heard. We call on all leaders to stand with us in protecting the rights of every Filipino child and to support the judicial processes that are in place to bring perpetrators to justice,” the agency emphasized.

Personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP) continue their manhunt operations against Quiboloy and other leaders of the KoJC who are subjects of arrest warrants in connection with a string of criminal cases.

“The DSWD calls on all leaders and citizens to support the legal processes that seek to protect the innocent and bring perpetrators to justice. We stand firmly with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in his commitment to creating a better future for every Filipino child, where no one is left behind or left to suffer alone,” the DSWD statement pointed out.