Sedition charges filed vs Quiboloy’s lawyer, several others

THE Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP CIDG) filed sedition and inciting to sedition complaints on Thursday, October 17, 2024, against several individuals linked to detained Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy in relation to the protest actions during the early days of the police operation aimed at arresting him.

CIDG chief Police Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III led the filing of complaints before the Department of Justice against Quiboloy’s lawyer, Israelito Torreon; former anti-insurgency spokesperson Lorraine Badoy; and Jeffrey Celis, who claimed to be a former high-ranking official of the New People's Army.

Badoy and Celis host a program at the Sonshine Media Network International, the broadcasting arm of KOJC.

Also among the respondents were Eleanor Cardona, Kathleen Kaye Laurente, Trinidad Arafol, Lord Byron Cristobal, Joey Espina Sun, Esteban Lava, Jose Lim III, and Marie Dinah Fuentes, who all allegedly took part in the conduct of protest action while the police, then led by Torre, were on a hunt for Quiboloy.

Quiboloy is facing sexual and child abuse and qualified human trafficking.

Under the Revised Penal Code, sedition is committed by people who rise “publicly and tumultuously” in order to prevent the government from exercising its functions, among others, while inciting to sedition is committed by people “without taking any direct part in the crime of sedition, should incite others to the accomplishment of any of the acts which constitute sedition.”

“Well, nakita 'nyo naman, the government is serving a warrant of arrest against the five fugitives and they are preventing us from doing so. So isa 'yon sa mga specific na mga offenses or acts na against (the respondents)…So 'yon ang papasok sa sediiton and inciting sedition,” said Torre.

(Well, you can see that the government is serving a warrant of arrest against the five fugitives, and they are preventing us from doing so. So that is one of the specific offenses or acts against the respondents… So that falls under sedition and inciting sedition.) (TPM/SunStar Philippines)