Wanted for various charges, including sexual and child abuse cases here and in the United States, self-proclaimed “Appointed Son of God” Apollo Quiboloy vows to die defending the oppressed and victims of injustice.
Also known as a self-styled “owner of the universe,” the embattled religious pastor said he would die a martyr like national heroes Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio, as he says authorities would not be able to capture him alive.
With the legal problems he is embroiled in, Quiboloy has resorted to theatrics even as he has been throwing various accusations at the public officials going after him.
In a 31-minute voice message streamed on the YouTube channel of DZAR 1026 early Saturday, April 6, Quiboloy’s voice cracked toward the end, saying: “Bansang kaharian, tandaan po ninyo, ako’y mamamatay with honor. Tatayo ako para sa mga ginipit, kinunan ng katarungan, kinunan ng hustisya sa bansang ito. Dito tutulo ang aking dugo. Dito ako mamamatay.”
(Kingdom nation, remember: I will die with honor. I will stand for those who have been oppressed, victims of injustice in this country. This is where my blood will be shed. This is where I will die).
The 73-year-old founder of a religious group called the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, the Name Above Every Name Inc. (KOJC), is now tagged by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) as a fugitive after authorities failed to serve the arrest warrant issued by a Davao Regional Trial Court last Wednesday on charges of sexual abuse and child abuse under Section 5 (b) and Section 10 (a) of Republic Act 7610, the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.
His co-accused — Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Sylvia Camanes, Jackiely Roy and Ingrid Canada — have surrendered and posted a bail bond of P80,000 each.
In most parts of the audio message, Quiboloy just repeated his earlier accusation that the Marcos administration had conspired with the US government to get him by extraordinary rendition. He said he would either be killed or abducted, then surrendered to U.S. authorities. Once in the hands of the Americans, he said he would become “Claro M. Recto No. 2,” insinuating that he would die under mysterious circumstances but that his cause of death would be publicly announced as that of a heart attack.
Quiboloy painted various scenarios that could happen to him, claiming that the “end game” for all the “playbook” by the Marcos government and the U.S. would be an “extraordinary rendition.”
“Kung ima-manhunt ninyo ako, kayong mga CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group), kayong mga NBI, mga kapulisan, ‘yan ang scenario na haharapin n’yo. Magiging martyr akong tulad ni Rizal. Magiging martyr akong tulad ni Bonifacio, pero tatayo ako sa aking kinatatayuan,” he said.
(If you launch a manhunt against me, you in the CIDG, you in the NBI and the police force, that’s the scenario you will face. I will be a martyr like Rizal. I will be a martyr like Bonifacio, but I will stand my ground.)
While describing the charges filed against him as “very simple” and easy to disprove with documents, Quiboloy refuses to surface, claiming that once he does so, he will be dead.
He demanded “written guarantees” from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, the heads of the PNP, CIDG and NBI, and the Senate. The guarantees should declare that “the Americans will not interfere in [his] case in the Philippines and that their Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the U.S. Embassy will not meddle.”
He wanted the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, chaired by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, to stop what he described as a “moro-moro … trial by publicity” and suggested that the senator go to court and assist the “lying” witnesses in drafting their affidavits.
The pastor did not spare the mainstream media in his criticisms, calling them paid press for not covering the prayer rallies of the KOJC.
The “Son of God” is obviously in distress. Unlike in the previous administration, when he could get and do what he wanted, this time, the long arm of the law was catching up on him. But in his theatrics, the accused oppressor promises to fight for the oppressed.
If he worries now over the Davao case and the Senate investigation, Quiboloy should worry more about the non-bailable case of human trafficking filed on March 19 at the Pasig court, which has yet to determine if there is the basis to order his arrest for qualified human trafficking under Section 4(a) of Republic Act 9208.
In November 2021, Quiboloy was placed on the “most wanted” list of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for his alleged participation in a labor-trafficking scheme that brought members of KOJC to the US using fraudulently acquired visas and forced them to solicit donations for a bogus charity. He is also facing charges of sex trafficking, fraud and coercion, conspiracy and bulk cash smuggling.
When Quiboloy falls under the arm of the law, would former president Rodrigo Duterte, his property administrator, take over as the leader of KOJC and live in the lavish properties the pastor has acquired over the years?
The more Quiboloy talks, the more he shows how he is the opposite of Jesus Christ, whom we know from the Bible.
The views in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of VERA Files.
This column also appeared in The Manila Times.
