By Ade Fajardo
Absent an act of God, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (the Name Above Every Name) will be spotlighted today when the Senate Committee on Women and Children conducts its inquiry into the cases of its leader Apollo Quiboloy.
The Senate will hear PSR No. 884 filed by Senator Risa Hontiveros, which greenlights a legislative inquiry, in aid of legislation, into KOJC’s reported cases of large-scale human trafficking, rape, sexual abuse and violence.
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Hontiveros will investigate reports that Quiboloy maintains a stable of women called “pastorals” who occupy privileged positions in his religious organization because they perform “special” personal tasks and errands for him.
Hontiveros cites informants who claim that the pastorals are divided into two classes.
Those who belong to the “inner circle” get to wash Quiboloy’s clothes, clean his bedroom, bathe and massage him.
Those who belong to the “inner of the innermost circle” are allegedly being made to engage in “night duty” and perform acts of a sexual nature. Some of these pastorals have reportedly not reached the age of majority.
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Quiboloy and at least two of his close associates are in the most wanted list of the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States of America.
Federal prosecutors of Los Angeles have accused them of sex trafficking by forcing young women to have sexual relations with Quiboloy under pain of eternal damnation.
The case also includes cash smuggling involving the alleged funneling of dollars sourced from street solicitations in the US. The money is used to fund the lavish lifestyle of Quiboloy and other church leaders.
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Quiboloy is hiding from his indictment in the US. He enjoys momentary freedom in the meantime that the request for his extradition has not been formally coursed through the diplomatic channels.
On the other hand, he has successfully evaded prosecution in the Philippines.
Republic Act 9208 makes it a crime to recruit any person for prostitution, sexual exploitation, forced labor, etc., even “under the pretext of domestic or overseas employment or training or apprenticeship.”
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Qualified trafficking is committed when the trafficked person is a child. A person below 18 years old is a child under this law.
Qualified trafficking may also be committed by a syndicate, defined by the same law as three or more persons conspiring to commit the crime. Trafficking can also be “large scale,” i.e., if committed against three or more persons.
Qualified trafficking is penalized with life imprisonment.
Cases were filed in Davao against Quiboloy for rape, trafficking, and child abuse but were reportedly dismissed by the Department of Justice in 2020 for “insufficiency of evidence.”
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Will Quiboloy attend his own crucifixion? He is likely telling himself that the Senate investigation is a witch hunt that will prejudice his interests, and may resort to various excuses to evade attendance.
But how long can he hold out?
While the Supreme Court recently scored the Senate over some factual issues in the detention of Pharmally executives, it continues to affirm the legislature’s power to hold a witness in contempt if he refuses to be sworn or to testify./WDJ