Dela Rosa advises Quiboloy to face charges

Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa advised Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader Apollo Quiboloy, to face the criminal charges against him.

"I have no other advice except to face his cases and let the wheels of justice turn. We have justice. Hopefully, he would face this so that this trouble can be resolved," said Dela Rosa in a radio interview on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Dela Rosa backed the Philippine National Police's warning to anyone coddling Quiboloy despite having arrest warrants.

"They should do what they have to do because coddling a fugitive is a violation of law," he said.

Quiboloy's criminal arrest warrants, he said, remain chargeable to the law.

Further, Dela Rosa dismissed the notion that former President Rodrigo Duterte might had something to do with coddling the wanted religious leader.

"You cannot expect pagkakanlong (coddling) coming from a former president, a lawyer at that, and former fiscal. He knows that it is a violation of law," he said.

"'Wag na gawan gawan ng storya kinakanlong ni Pangulong Duterte [dahil] alam ni Pangulong Duterte ang batas [at] di yan mangyayari (Don’t make up stories about President Duterte hiding a fugitive because President Duterte knows the law and that will never happen)," he added.

On Wednesday, the Davao Regional Trial Court issued a warrant of arrest against Quiboloy and five others for violating Republic Act 7610, also known as the Anti-Child Abuse Law, specifically the provision on sexual abuse of minors and maltreatment.

They are also charged with qualified human trafficking charges under Section 4 (a) of Republic Act 9208.

Two of Quiboloy’s co-accused surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation on Thursday.

The five have posted bail while Quiboloy remains at large.