Sen. Risa Hontiveros Concern about Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s Alleged Victims Abroad
RISA HONTIVEROS – The Senator hopes that the Philippine authorities will allow the extradition of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy to the United States.
In July, the Pasig Court junked the appeal of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy to allow him to post bail for his temporary release. The founder and leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ or KOJC is faced with several charges and accusations not only in the Philippines but as well as in the United States.
Quiboloy was one of the huge personalities arrested by the Philippine authorities in 2024. The Philippine National Police (PNP) even conducted intensified search operations inside the KOJC compound in Davao City that lasted for several weeks in the pursuit to find the Pastor.
Currently, Pastor Apollo Quiboloy is detained in Pasig City jail. He is faced with charges not just before the Pasig Court but as well as a court in Quezon City. However, recently, Philippine ambassador to U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez confirmed another possible legal challenge against the self-proclaimed “appointed son of god” and his camp.
Philippine ambassador to U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez confirmed that the United States government has sent documents to the Philippines requesting for the extradition of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy. Extradition is the taking of the custody of one person from his/her current jurisdiction to another jurisdiction to face trial over legal complaints.
According to Quiboloy’s lawyer, Atty. Israelito Torreon, they have yet to receive any document about the extradition request of U.S. to the Philippines over the Pastor. While they still don’t have the official document, based on a report on Inquirer, his camp said there is no need to rush the extradition of the Pastor.
Based on the report, Atty. Israelito Torreon clarified that they respect the U.S. government’s prerogative to request for the extradition of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy considering the treaty between Manila and Washington. Furthermore, the Pastor’s camp also recognized that U.S. can even request for the provisional arrest of the Pastor under Article 9 of the accord signed in 1994.
On the other side of respecting the treaty between Washington and Manila as well as the possibility of a provisional arrest, Quiboloy’s camp believes there is no need to rush his extradition as he is now under the custody of the authorities. His camp also believes that a provisional arrest may not be really needed now.
“However, we feel that such request for provisional arrest may not be necessary as of the moment in the light of the fact that the ‘urgency’ requirement under that is absent in this case as Pastor Quiboloy is in jail awaiting resolution of his motion for reconsideration from the denial of his petition for bail,” Quiboloy’s lawyer stated.
The U.S. extradition request for the custody of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy elicited different reactions. Recently, Sen. Risa Hontiveros spoke her side.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros called on the Philippine government to allow the extradition of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy to the United States. According to her, it is not right that the alleged victims of the Pastor in U.S. will have to wait longer for the justice that they are seeking for.
Despite the call for the extradition of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy to be granted, Sen. Risa Hontiveros clarified that he may be extradited to U.S. for the trial of the cases filed against him there but he may still be returned to the country under Article II, Paragraph 1 of the Philippine-US Extradition Treat so he can also face the charges filed against him in the Philippines.
Amid his detention, Pastor Apollo Quiboloy ran for senator in the 2025 Midterm Elections and even called for a manual recount after he lost the senatorial race.