October 14, 2024 | 1:13pm
MANILA, Philippines —Doomsday preacher Apollo Quiboloy may finally face off with Sen. Risa Hontiveros in a Senate hearing.
In a letter dated Monday, October 14, Hontiveros’ panel wrote to Noel Parel, the presiding judge of Branch 106 in Quezon City. They requested the judge to allow Quiboloy to go to the Senate to answer questions from the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality—the same panel questioning former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo about her ties to human trafficking and offshore gaming hubs.
“In view hereof and by virtue of the standing Arrest Order issued by the Senate to Apollo C. Quiboloy the Committee respectfully and formally request your Honor, to allow Mr. Quiboloy to appear before the Committee on the above-stated date and time of the hearing,” wrote Senate committee secretary Gemma Tanpiengco.
If approved, Quiboloy will face Hontiveros’ panel on October 23 at 10 a.m.
This would be the first time that Quiboloy would face the Senate panel after he repeatedly dodged requests for his attendance. His absence from the probe triggered a warrant of arrest from the Senate.
Quiboloy is facing cases both here in the Philippines and in the United States.
The preacher and spiritual adviser to former president Rodrigo Duterte is facing labor trafficking cases in the US. He is also on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s most-wanted list.
In the Philippines, Quiboloy faces charges of human trafficking and child abuse.
Quiboloy went into hiding for the better half of 2024, with authorities closing in on his location in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ compound in Davao City. The ensuing confrontation between Quiboloy’s followers and police forces became tense, with several injuries being incurred on both sides. The doomsday preacher surrendered to the authorities in September.
