MANILA – There is no official request yet for the extradition of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder Apollo Quiboloy to the United States, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said.
According to Romuldez, the Philippine Embassy in the United States has not received any request yet regarding Quiboloy, who is wanted by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for sex trafficking charges.
“We were informed that there was potentially a request for his extradition but so far there has been none,” Romuldez said during the Friends, Allies, Partners Program meeting.
However, even though such requests usually go through the Philippine Embassy, they can also go directly to the US Embassy in the Philippines, Romualdez said.
“There are law enforcement representatives in the US Embassy that can make a request directly to our Department of Justice… It doesn’t necessarily have to come from us,” Romualdez said.
The US-based ambassador further said that if a case is filed against Quiboloy in the Philippines, the extradition to the USA “will have to take a back seat.”
Quiboloy was indicted by a federal grand jury in the US District Court for the Central District of California for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion; conspiracy; and bulk cash smuggling.
Two years ago, the FBI issued “Wanted” posters for Quiboloy and two other members of his KOJC, namely Teresita Tolibas Dandan and Helen Panilag.
Quiboloy is wanted for alleged labor trafficking that brought church members to the United States, via fraudulently obtained visas, and forced the members to solicit donations for a bogus charity, donations that actually were used to finance church operations and the lavish lifestyles of its leaders, the FBI said.
Quiboloy had previously accused the US government, allegedly with help from Philippine government officials, of plotting to “eliminate” him through rendition in connection with the cases he is facing in the US./PN
