SENATOR Risa Hontiveros urged the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday, April 29, 2024, to cancel the passport of fugitive Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.
In a statement, Hontiveros cited Quiboloy’s continued refusal to appear before the Senate or the courts following the issuance of arrest warrant against him over charges of human trafficking and child and sexual abuse.
"Imbes na magpakita sa Senado o sa mga korte, panay record ng audio message na tila nang-iinsulto pa sa kakayanan ng gobyerno na matunton siya. (Instead of appearing in the Senate or in the courts, he continuously recorded an audio message that seemed to insult the government's ability to track him down.) This is appalling. This should not be allowed to pass, but only challenge the government more to exhaust all means to restrict his movements," she said.
Hontiveros said once his passport is cancelled, Quiboloy’s world will be smaller.
Earlier, DFA spokesperson Teresita Daza said a cancelled passport is a "red flag for any application in all DFA consular offices within and outside the Philippines."
She said that a cancelled passport is reported to both the Bureau of Immigration and the Interpol office in the Philippines, which then informs its headquarters, which will activate an alert system on international border controls.
"The world is closing in on him. He is accused of crimes that transcend continents and nationalities. Tiwala ako na maraming bansa ang handang makipagtulungan sa Pilipinas para papanagutin siya (I am confident that many countries are willing to work with the Philippines to hold him accountable)," said Hontiveros.
"Kung ang puganteng kongresista ay nahuli, sana naman maaresto din ang puganteng religious leader. Maliit ang mundo. Hindi niya matatakasan ang batas habambuhay," she added.
(If the fugitive congressman (former Negros Oriental congressman Arnie Teves) was caught, hopefully the fugitive religious leader will also be arrested. The world is small. He cannot escape the law forever.)
Hontiveros is the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, which probes the alleged crime activities, such as physical and sexual abuse, perpetrated by Quiboloy and other officials of the KJC.
Several former members of the KJC attended the panel’s inquiry and narrated their ordeal from the hands of Quiboloy and other KJC officials.
The Senate also issued an arrest order against Quiboloy to compel him to attend the panel’s inquiry.
Quiboloy has three standing arrest warrant for child and sexual abuse issued by the Davao City Regional Trial Court and human trafficking issued by a Pasig City Court. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)