Senator Risa Hontiveros on Saturday criticized the motion of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy to undergo hospital arrest in his hometown of Davao City amid ongoing criminal trials.
Hontiveros expressed concern that Quiboloy is facing “serious crimes” including human trafficking, rape, and child abuse.
“Dapat pantay-pantay ang trato sa mga akusado, anuman ang kanilang katayuan o koneksyon. Dapat walang special treatment sa kanya (All accused should be treated equally, regardless of their status or connections. There should be no special treatment for him),” the senator said.
Hontiveros suggested that the pastor's request for hospital arrest in Davao might be an attempt to evade court proceedings.
“Napaka-entitled at wala sa lugar ang paghiling niya ng hospital arrest sa Davao. Bakit nga ba sa Davao? Dahil ba may isang kaibigan siyang maimpluwensiya doon? (He is so entitled but he has no place to request for an hospital arrest in Davao. Why in Davao? Because he has an influential friend there?),” she questioned.
During a press briefing over the weekend, Philippine National Police spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo stated that Quiboloy’s camp had filed a petition before the Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 159 for hospital arrest for Quiboloy and co-accused Ingrid Canada at the Veterans Memorial Center in Davao City due to severe medical conditions.
In response to the motion, the judge required the PNP to facilitate medical checkups for Quiboloy and Canada.
“Because accordingly, they have existing medical conditions and they are having a hard time in the custodial facility, and the judge decided to require PNP to let government doctors check the medical conditions of the accused,” Fajardo said.
However, Hontiveros emphasized that Quiboloy does not have the right to choose his detention location.
“Wala na siya sa loob ng ‘King Dome,’ kaya huwag na siyang mag-astang Diyos (He is no longer inside the ‘King Dome,’ so he should stop pretending he is God),” Hontiveros said.
Quiboloy and his four co-accused have pleaded not guilty to qualified human trafficking charges before Pasig RTC Branch 159.
The Pasig RTC also ordered the transfer of Quiboloy’s co-accused Ingrid Canada, Cresente Canada, Jackielyn Roy, and Sylvia Cemañes to the Pasig City Jail from the PNP custodial center, while Quiboloy will remain at Camp Crame.
On 11 September, the Quezon City RTC 106 issued a separate order for the transfer of Quiboloy and co-accused Cresente Canada to the jail in Bagong Silangan, Quezon City. The QC RTC judge also ordered the transfer of three other co-accused—Jackielyn Roy, Ingrid Canada, and Sylvia Cemañes—to the Quezon City Jail-Female Dormitory at Camp Karingal.