The Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality has cited Apollo Quiboloy for contempt and formally requested an arrest warrant against the controversial sect leader. Quiboloy failed to appear on the resumption of the Senate probe into allegations of abuse against former members of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ on Tuesday, March 5.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, the committee’s chairperson, had earlier warned that Quiboloy could face arrest if he disregarded the Senate’s subpoena.

“Pursuant to Section 18 of the Rules of the Senate, as chair of the Committee, with the concurrence of one member here with me, I cite in contempt Apollo Carreon Quiboloy for his refusal to be sworn or to testify before this investigation. This committee requests the Senate President to order his arrest so that he may be brought to testify,” Hontiveros declared.

Quiboloy defied the Senate subpoenas, citing threats to his life as the reason for his refusal to attend the hearing.

In a letter to Hontiveros, Quiboloy’s camp maintained that forcing his attendance at the hearing would constitute a breach of his constitutional rights.

In February, Quiboloy asserted that there was a plot orchestrated by both the United States and the Philippine government with the intent of eliminating him.

The Department of Justice has ordered the filing of child abuse and human trafficking cases against Pastor Quiboloy a day before the Senate probe.

DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla disclosed that the directive stems from a review of the dismissal of the complaints filed against Quiboloy and five others by the Davao City Prosecutor’s Office in 2020.

📷: SMNI