Senator Risa Hontiveros emphasized on Sunday that Apollo Quiboloy, facing accusations of rape, human trafficking, sexual violence, and child abuse, must now also answer to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) whose salaries were forcibly taken as donations for himself and his religious group, Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC).

In the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality hearing, Senator Hontiveros presented Reynita Fernandez, an OFW based in Singapore, who disclosed that she and fellow domestic workers were pressured and harassed into contributing 90% of their salaries to Quiboloy.

“Araw-gabi kumayod ang mga OFW, tapos imbes na mapunta sa pamilya nila ang pinagtrabahuan nila, pilit silang hinuhuthutan ni Quiboloy. Di na nga nakukuha ang sweldo nila, pinagbebenta pa sila ng kung ano-ano para lang makapagremit, hindi sa kanilang pamilya kundi sa Kingdom,” expressed Hontiveros.

“Si Reynita, nawalan ng bahay, dahil sa kakabigay ng buong salary niya, at sigurado hindi lang siya ang OFW na nabiktima. We call our OFWs our modern-day heroes, yet we are failing to protect them from fraudsters like Quiboloy. Sana magkaisa ang Senado para mabigyan ang ating mga kababayan ng hustisya,” added the senator.

Senator Hontiveros held Quiboloy in contempt for not appearing, despite a subpoena issued. In response, Quiboloy’s counsel, through a letter, stated that his client refuses to honor the subpoena, invoking his right against self-incrimination.

“The invocation of the right against self-incrimination must be made by a witness actually present and on a per question basis. This has been settled by the Supreme Court. Sa madaling salita, kailangan niya pa rin magpakita sa Senado. Ang bibigat na ng mga paratang sa kanya, pero hindi pa rin siya nagpapakita. Why is he hiding? Why is he so afraid? Takot ba siyang hindi niya madepensahan ng maayos ang mga inaakusa sa kanya?” questioned Hontiveros.

“More and more victim-survivors have reached out to my office to share the horrific abuses they experienced as members of KOJC. I call on my colleagues in the Senate to actually listen to these victim-survivors. Sigurado ako na kapag mapakinggan nila ang mga karanasan ng mga dating miyembro ni Quiboloy, walang mag-aatubiling manindigan para sa katarungan,” concluded the senator.

📷: Apollo Quiboloy FB