FBI release of wanted poster for Quiboloy not related to Eleksyon 2022- US Embassy
By J.Lo
“The FBI’s release of wanted poster for Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder Pastor Apollo Quiboloy follows multi-year effort by law enforcement…unrelated to Philippines’ ongoing presidential election campaign,” The United States Embassy clarified that the release by FBI of “Most Wanted” poster for Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) founder Pastor Apollo Quiboloy had nothing to do with Eleksyon 2022.
The FBI recently released “wanted” posters for Quiboloy and two other KJC members, Teresita Tolibas Dandan and Helen Panilag.
Quiboloy is “wanted for his alleged participation in labor trafficking scheme that brought church members to the United States, via fraudulently obtained visas, and forced members to solicit donations for bogus charity, donations that actually were used to finance church operations and the lavish lifestyles of its leaders,” the FBI said.
“Members who proved successful at soliciting for the church allegedly were forced to enter into sham marriages or obtain fraudulent student visas to continue soliciting in the United States year-round,” it added.
“Furthermore, it is alleged that females were recruited to work as personal assistants, or ‘pastorals,’ for Quiboloy and that victims prepared his meals, cleaned his residences, gave him massages and were required to have sex with Quiboloy in what the pastorals called ‘night duty,'” the FBI added.
The FBI said “Quiboloy was indicted by federal grand jury in US District Court for the Central District of California, Santa Ana, California, for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion; conspiracy; and bulk cash smuggling.”
The US court issued warrant for his arrest on November 10, 2021, the FBI said.
Dandan is wanted by the FBI for alleged “conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, and sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; conspiracy; and promotional money laundering.”
She allegedly was part of labor trafficking scheme wherein members of KJC were brought to the US “via fraudulently obtained visas.”
Meanwhile, Panilag is wanted by the FBI for alleged conspiracy in the said suspected labor trafficking scheme.
The FBI said anyone who has information about Quiboloy, Dandan and Panilag may contact FBI or nearest American Embassy or Consulate.
Quiboloy’s legal counsel Attorney Ferdinand Topacio said the pastor’s accusers are only using his closeness with President Rodrigo Duterte to indirectly destroy the latter.
He also said the timing when FBI released “most wanted” poster was “very suspect” as federal grand jury indictment was made on November 10, 2021.
“I’m not fomenting any conspiracy theories here but we all have to be in a state of abject denial to say that the United States has not been interfering with our elections since as far as we can remember,” Topacio said. The campaign period for the Philippine national elections began February 8.
He then asked why, in the period before President Duterte became president, there were no such accusations against Quiboloy.
Topacio said what US has been doing against Quiboloy may be “distraction and an issue” against current administration as US has “repeatedly and consistently interfered and intervened” in Philippine politics.
Quiboloy himself over the weekend said sex trafficking allegations against him come with being “Appointed Son of God,” as he describes himself.
The US Embassy said questions about extradition efforts may be directed to the Philippine Department of Justice (DOJ).
“And for any questions about extradition, I refer you to the DOJ,” the embassy said.
The DOJ on the other hand said it “has not yet received any communication from the US government for Quiboloy’s extradition.”
Malacañang skirted question on whether President Duterte knows whereabouts of his friend and spiritual adviser Quiboloy.
“It goes through diplomatic channels…any communication should go through diplomatic channels and the Justice department has spoken about the issue,” acting presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles responded in Palace briefing.
Quiboloy earlier endorsed the tandem of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. and presidential daughter Davao Mayor Sara Duterte for Eleksyon 2022.
Topacio added that Quiboloy will undergo due process should US government file an extradition request with the Philippine government.
Quiboloy warned public last November to stop “persecuting, prosecuting, and maligning” him, or suffer more from pandemic.
In an address to his followers livestreamed on his YouTube channel, Quiboloy said Omicron COVID-19 variant is the result of how he is being treated.
“Once again, another vicious attempt to bring down Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy and some of the Kingdom leaders has been organized just recently in the United States, but The KJC, The Name Above Every Name and all its followers remain steadfast and committed to faithfully respond to its mission, its ministry and its divine calling despite all detraction efforts made against them,” a the KJC Legal Counsel said in a statement.
Senator Bong Go, longtime aide of President Duterte, said in November that the President will not get in the way of Quiboloy’s extradition if it will be requested.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has yet to receive an official request for the extradition of pastor Apollo Quiboloy, who was declared wanted by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for sex trafficking charges.
“We have not received any official communication from the US government. ..extradition cannot be done motu proprio, especially if the subject is our own citizen, any communication will be coursed through diplomatic channels” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said in a message to reporters.
Guevarra said any request to extradite Quiboloy is governed by the Philippines-US extradition treaty.
“The US State Department makes extradition request…our Department of Foreign Affairs checks sufficiency of the request; if sufficient, the DFA endorses it to the DOJ, we then file petition for extradition with proper regional trial court on behalf of the US government. ..the rest of our judicial process, including appeals, follows…in case issuance of warrant of arrest becomes necessary, the subject may post bail for his provisional liberty” the Justice chief said.
Asked if the DOJ can issue a hold departure order or an immigration lookout bulletin against Quiboloy, Guevarra said DOJ will study the legal basis for such an action “in the absence of any official request or communication from US side.”
“Extradition is supposed to be a summary proceeding…we’re not supposed to be trying the US criminal charges here, but we have had cases where the process reached Supreme Court, but were ultimately implemented,” he said.
Quiboloy over the weekend said sex trafficking allegations against him come with being “Appointed Son of God,” as he describes himself.
In a live video posted on his official Facebook page on Sunday evening, Quiboloy acknowledged his legal team, as he noted the cases filed against him in the United States.
“It is hard being ‘Appointed Son’ because you are doing all the responsibilities handed down by the Father and they make you out to be evil, criticize you, throw mud at you,” he said.
“You know, it is difficult being ‘Appointed Son…all sins will be thrown against you. ..like what is written in Matthew chapter 5, ‘Blessed are you when men shall persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake’,” he said.
“There is no one brave enough to attempt that, because people take care of their names, their reputation. When the Father says fight with Satan, I will really fight with him no matter how muddy,” he added.
The Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) timeline indicates that the campaign period for the 2022 national polls starts Tuesday, February 8.
The Gabriela Party-list on Sunday asked Department of Justice (DOJ) to issue hold departure order against Quiboloy, who is wanted by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over labor trafficking charges.
” It is a big challenge for the Duterte regime and even for the Bongbong-Sara tandem to not protect Quiboloy, especially since he is endorsing the tandem of the administration,” Gabriela Party-list Representative Arlene Brosas said in a statement.
“We again ask DOJ to do whatever is necessary to facilitate attainment of justice to all the victims of Quiboloy even if those measures would run counter to Duterte’s wishes,” she added.
Brosas said Quiboloy is “playing the victim,” as she advised KJC founder to just surrender.
” Quiboloy is playing the victim…he is the one who victimized minors and women based on the indictment charges against him…he should just surrender,” Brosas wrote.
ISKUP! 