PASTOR Apollo Quiboloy, who is now considered a “fugitive from justice”, has finally broken his silence, claiming that his four-year human trafficking case at the Department of Justice (DOJ) is just an “ordinary case”, reiterating his innocence in all the accusations hurled at him by the government.
Despite the ongoing manhunt operation executed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), in collaboration with other police and intelligence units, the religious leader maintained his innocence in a 33-minute audio recording posted by SMNI on YouTube on April 6, 2024.
“Mga kaibigan, mga kababayan, ako ay hindi nagtatago sa kasong ito dahil ako ay may kasalanan, hindi. Ako ay umiwas dahil pino-protektahan ko ang aking sarili. Bakit ko pino-protektahan ang aking sarili? Sapagkat ang lahat ng nangyayaring ito, sa kasong ito na napaka-simple lamang na kaso lang ito, simple case lang ito na apat na taon nang nakabinbin sa DOJ tapos ngayon binuhay na naman nila,” Quiboloy said.
(Friends, fellow countrymen, I am not hiding because I am guilty, no. I am just staying away because I am protecting myself. Why would I protect myself? Because all of this happening, this case is just very simple. This is just a simple case that has been pending at the DOJ for four years and now they have brought it up again).
He added that the administration of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has worsened his situation in the Philippines following the president’s tight diplomatic relationship with and recent state visit to the United States (US).
“Ngayon naging complicated ang aking sitwasyon dito sa bansang Pilipinas mula nang manalo si Bongbong Marcos at naging Presidente siya. Nang pumunta sya sa Amerika, nagbago na ang ihip ng hangin, kasi noong bumalik siya dito, kaibigan na niya ang bansang puting Amerika,” he cited.
(Now my situation here in the Philippines has become complicated since Bongbong Marcos won and became a President. When he went to the United States, the situation changed because when he returned, he had become friends with the United States).
Quiboloy was also ordered arrested for violation of Section 5(b) or sexual abuse still under RA 7610.
This, after the Davao Regional Trial Court (Davao-RTC) Branch 12 issued the two-page order which was suspended last March 14 after Quiboloy’s camp said that they have filed a motion of reconsideration before the DOJ.
However, all of his trusted personal assistants or his co-accused have immediately posted their respective bail following their arrests on April 3 and 4.
Previously, the Petition for Review on the case against Quiboloy and others has been granted. But after a thorough examination, the initial Joint Resolution from the Davao City Office of the City Prosecutor, dated June 29, 2020, which rejected the accusations of rape, qualified human trafficking, and child abuse, has been overturned.
A petition for review of the resolution and her charges of rape, qualified human trafficking, and child abuse were submitted by the claimed victim, a former employee of KOJC.
However, after revaluation, it was found that the wanted religious man has probable cause to be charged under Section 5(b) of Republic Act No. 7610 with the crime of sexual abuse of a minor. Quiboloy and co-respondents are also facing charges of qualified human trafficking and other child abuse offenses.
The DOJ stated in its resolution from early March that the accused victim claimed in September 2014 to have been raped while still a minor and that there had been abuse claims since 2011.
In a moving assessment, DOJ Secretary Remulla said, "This petition for review has lingered unresolved for four long years. Our foremost aim is to achieve justice within the Philippines, grounded firmly on the evidence presented and the statutes of our legal system." DEF
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