Religious leader Apollo Quiboloy, who is eyeing a Senate seat, faced senators and his alleged victims for the first time as he attended a Senate panel investigation into his alleged crimes on Wednesday.

Despite the heavy rains brought by tropical storm “Kristine,” the resumption of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality’s investigation into the alleged crimes of Quiboloy pushed through, nearly half a year after its last hearing.

The self-proclaimed “appointed son of god” arrived at the Senate wearing a jacket over a visible orange shirt — believed to be a jail uniform — escorted by personnel of the Philippine National Police Custodial Facility.

This sharply contrasted with his appearance during a press conference organized by the police after his arrest, where he wore a bulletproof vest, mask, dark glasses, and a helmet.

In a short but direct answer to the media, Quiboloy, founder and leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KoJC), denied the allegations of human trafficking and sexual abuse against him and his church.

“False,” he said when asked for a comment on the allegations against him before the Senate panel hearing.

The more than five hour-and-a-half marathon hearing led by Senator Risa Hontiveros touched on the sexual abuses allegedly committed by Quiboloy, particularly against his so-called pastoral ministry.

Despite the incriminating testimonies of his accusers, Quiboloy remained unfazed and displayed little emotion.

Hand-picked pastorals

The pastorals, who were handpicked members of the KoJC, were selected to serve Quiboloy in various ways, including providing massages and engaging in sex.

Yulya Voronina, also known as Sofia, a Ukrainian national, attended the panel investigation via Zoom to narrate her ordeal at the hands of Quiboloy.

Voronina alleged that Quiboloy used his position to take advantage of the female members of the KoJC, particularly the inner circle of the Pastoral Ministry.

She said Quiboloy had access to the bedrooms of pastoral ministry members who were young and attractive women.

“Nobody can deny that there is a pastoral ministry, not even Mr. Quiboloy himself. And everybody knows that only girls and young and beautiful women are included there,” she said.

“[We were] all under the same rules. Our rooms were next to his so he had free access to every room. Nobody knows his life behind these doors. There are no full-time [KoJC church] workers who know what is happening there,” she said.

Voronina said refusal to engage in sex with Quiboloy would result in humiliation and pressure from the officials of the KoJC.

“You cannot say, ‘I don’t want [to do this].’ You cannot run away, because if you don’t obey him, you are told you will go to hell... things like that,” she said.

Teresita Valdehueza also came forward to reveal the sexual abuse she experienced from the religious leader.

Valdehueza, who became a member of the KoJC in 1980 at the age of 17, said her abuse started on a Sunday in 1993 in Cebu City.

“Upon arriving in Cebu City, we arranged for him to stay at the Park Place Hotel in Fuente Osmeña. That evening, he instructed me to remain in the hotel while Nilda Linda, the assigned worker, returned to the workers’ house,” she said.

Valdehueza said Quiboloy forced himself on her after he ignored her request to sleep instead on the sofa.

”Sleeping beside a man I believed to be chosen by God was for me then a great privilege, an opportunity for a sinner like me,” she said.

“But what followed shattered my sense of faith and trust. Without a word, after turning off the light, he embraced me, undressed me, and violated me with his lustful act that left me in shock and speechless. He then said, ‘This is the fulfillment of God’s revelation.’”

Valdehueza said Quiboloy made her believe that sexual acts with him was “partaking in God’s life through him by surrendering my body, soul, and spirit.”

1,000 wives

The claims of sexual abuse were corroborated by the findings of the Philippine National Police, who said that Quiboloy idolized King Solomon and wanted to have 1,000 wives.

“Through his preaching with the inner pastorals, by narrative of the inner pastorals, Quiboloy aimed to acquire 1,000 women anchored on the biblical story of Solomon, King of Israel, who had 700 wives and 300 concubines,” PNP Davao City Police chief Col. Hansel Marantan told the panel.

Marantan said that to date around 200 women were believed to have been victimized by Quiboloy.