“Rape charges call for a direct answer. Isn’t this true, Pastor?”
Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos posed the question rhetorically to Kingdom of Jesus Christ Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, as he urged the religious leader to surrender and face the various charges against him.
Quiboloy and his accomplices have standing warrants of arrest for qualified human trafficking, sexual abuse of minors, and maltreatment.
Abalos believes the fugitive televangelist is still in the Philippines, hiding inside the 30-hectare compound of his religious group in Davao City.
“Sa aming report, lumalabas na nasa Pilipinas pa si Pastor Quiboloy (Per our report, Pastor Quiboloy is still in the Philippines),” Abalos said.
He said he did not know Quiboloy personally but he had to implement the law.
“Ilaban natin ang mga anak natin. Bilang ama, hindi dapat mangyari sa kung sino man na anak ito. Hustisya lang po, dapat malaman natin ang totoo dito (Let us fight for our children. As a father, this should not happen to any of our children. We should uncover the truth here so we could have justice),” Abalos said.
He said it would be better for Quiboloy to give up, defend himself and avoid a possible violent arrest as the authorities are hunting for him.
“He is deemed to be innocent until his guilt is proven. Mas mabuti sumuko na siya, magpakita na siya para maklaro lahat (It is better for him to surrender to clear everything up),” he added.
Earlier, during a Senate hearing on the “excessive force” used by the police in serving the warrant of arrest on Quiboloy, Abalos said the police were just doing their duty.
“Tandaan natin na ang basehan ng demokrasya ay hustisya, at ang basehan ng hustisya ay ang batas. At iyan ang pinapatupad namin (Let us remember that the basis of democracy is justice. And that’s what we are trying to implement),” Abalos pointed out.
“Kung hindi namin gagawin iyan, babagsak ang buong bansa kung tatalikod na lang kami rito (Should we turn our backs on this, our nation will collapse),” he added.