Arrest Warrant Issued Against KJC Founder Pastor Apollo Quiboloy
PASTOR APOLLO QUIBOLOY – House lawmaker said religious leader Pastor Apollo Carreon Quiboloy may now be arrested.
Surigao del Sur’s 2nd District Representative, Johnny Pimentel, suggests that Apollo Quiboloy, the founder of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC), may currently face arrest. Pimentel notes that an arrest order against Quiboloy became effective on Friday, March 15, due to his absence from a House of Representatives panel hearing, despite his lawyer’s request for a postponement.
Pimentel asserts that Quiboloy’s lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, did not respond to the House Committee on Legislative Franchises regarding his client’s attendance. Quiboloy was cited for contempt by the committee after he refused to participate in hearings concerning alleged franchise violations of Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), which is associated with him.
READ ALSO: Quiboloy’s Camp Explains Why He Should Not Be Arrested
Pastor Quiboloy’s lawyer sought a postponement for the religious leader until Friday, expressing the intention to convince him to attend. Pimentel, the vice chairperson of the House Committee on Legislative Franchises, expressed no surprise at Topacio’s lack of response, considering it a delaying tactic. He had previously requested a subpoena against Quiboloy on February 7, following complaints from Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas about Quiboloy’s repeated absence from hearings.
Brosas sought to investigate SMNI’s ownership, suspecting Quiboloy’s involvement based on alleged preferential treatment from SMNI hosts. However, SMNI’s lawyer, Mark Tolentino, defended the hosts’ right to express gratitude to Quiboloy as part of their freedom of speech.
According to the report, Pimentel, along with Parañaque’s 2nd District Representative, Gus Tambunting, moved to hold Quiboloy in contempt for his persistent non-appearance. Tambunting, the chairperson of the House Committee on Legislative Franchises, emphasized the committee’s fairness and leniency towards Quiboloy, noting that the contempt order came after three months of invitations.
Deputy Speaker David Suarez stressed the importance of penalizing Quiboloy to prevent setting a precedent for future non-compliance with summons by other resource persons.
The House initially investigated SMNI after allegations by Laban Kasama ang Bayan host Jeffrey Celiz regarding Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez’s alleged extravagant spending. However, House Secretary General Reginald Velasco clarified the inaccuracies in Celiz’s claims, revealing the actual travel costs incurred.
Subsequently, the hearings revealed potential violations of SMNI’s franchise, particularly concerning providing balanced programming, informing Congress about ownership changes, and offering a portion of its stock to the public.
