Perci Cendaña, a member of the Akbayan Party‑List, urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) to expedite the extradition of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, the founder of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), who is currently in the United States. Quiboloy faces an arrest warrant in the U.S. on charges related to alleged sex‑trafficking activities. Cendaña made the plea on Friday while filing a counter‑affidavit in response to libel and cyber‑libel complaints that Quiboloy had filed against him and other lawmakers. “I hope the DOJ can decide on the extradition of Pastor Apolo Quiboloy in the soonest possible time so that his alleged victims could begin their long walk to justice,” the lawmaker told reporters. He said he had repeatedly asked the DOJ about the matter during lower‑house hearings, only to be told that the request was still under review. In his counter‑affidavit, Cendaña included testimonies from Quiboloy’s alleged victims that were presented during a Senate inquiry into the case. He described the complaints as an attempt to silence critics and those seeking justice for victims. “This is part of the job, but in the end, we need to protect the victims, the alleged victims of Pastor Apolo Quiboloy. We are ready to face this case,” he added. The libel complaints also named Mamamayang Liberal Party‑List Representative Leila de Lima and Senator Risa Hontiveros. On September 11, Quiboloy, represented by attorney Ferdinand Topacio, filed the complaints with the Pasig City Prosecutor’s Office. Topacio emphasized that his client maintains the presumption of innocence and that the allegations made by the lawmakers violate the sub‑judice rule, as the case is still being tried in the Pasig Regional Trial Court. He argued that the lawmakers had spoken as if Quiboloy had already been convicted of the charges related to alleged human trafficking. In addition to the sex‑trafficking allegations, Quiboloy faces a separate charge for an alleged violation of the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act in Quezon City.
Article source: The Daily Tribune | Image credit: The Daily Tribune