MANILA – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has challenged Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder Pastor Apollo Quiboloy to surface and face all the accusations against him.
A visibly irked President Marcos made the statement after Quiboloy’s camp questioned the motives of the private individuals who offered P10 million for any information that will lead to his arrest.
“Bakit lagi kami kinukuwestiyon? Sinusundan lang namin ang batas. Sundin din niya ang batas. ‘Yun lang,” President Marcos said in an ambush interview in Montalban, Rizal on Wednesday.
“He can question their motives as much as they want. But magpakita siya. I question his motives. Let me question his motives,” the Chief Executive added.
Quiboloy’s legal counsel, Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, said it is questionable that Department of Interior and Local Government’s Secretary Benhur Abalos could not reveal who are the private individuals behind the P10-million bounty.
Abalos said in a press conference on Monday that there were “friends” who wanted to help in the case of Quiboloy and were offering a P10-million reward for information about him.
President Marcos, however, said he sees nothing wrong with private individuals trying to help the government to arrest a fugitive like Quiboloy by putting out a bounty.
“Bakit hindi? They want to help us bring a fugitive to justice. He is a fugitive. He is hiding from the law,” President Marcos said. “If there are private citizens who want to assist the government in that effort to bring him to justice, I don’t see why it is an issue.”
Warrants of arrest were issued against Quiboloy and others for alleged violation of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act and Republic Act No. 9208 or Qualified Human Trafficking.
Quiboloy has also been 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./PN
