3 women tell Senate panel how Quiboloy sexually abused them

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 23) – One Filipino and two Ukrainian women on Tuesday alleged before a Senate panel that Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy sexually abused them while they were pastorals of the church.

Quiboloy, the spiritual adviser of former President Rodrigo Duterte, is wanted by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation for alleged sex trafficking, fraud, coercion, and bulk cash smuggling charges.

The Filipino woman, alias Amanda, told the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality that in December 2012, she and her sister were recruited to join a choir by Marlon Rosete to sing before Quiboloy in his house in Quezon City.

Rosete was identified as one of the shareholders of Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), the KOJC’s broadcasting arm.

In January 2013, Amanda said she and her sister were again invited to perform at a Davao City concert and to meet Quiboloy. A woman accompanying the church leader, Ingrid Canada, recruited them as full-time members of the church, granting them full scholarships to Jose Maria College (JMC), allowance, free board and lodging, and membership in Quiboloy's choir.

Later that year, Amanda and her sister were promoted to “close-in pastorals.”

Amanda also said that in September 2014, when she was 17, she was ordered to go to the KOJC’s bible school dining area as a woman named Jackielyn Roy called for her. She was told to go to Quiboloy’s room.

Amanda recalled that Roy told her massaging Quiboloy was part of the work of the ministry of pastorals and it was a special privilege because not everyone can touch or be near the “son of God.”

“Basta ibigay ko daw ang sarili ko. Maghanda daw ako, maligo, mag-toothbrush, sinabihan din ako mag blow dry ng buhok…Hangga’t walang sinasabi si Quiboloy na puwede na akong umalis, hindi ako dapat lumabas ng kuwarto,” Amanda said.

[Translation: Just give yourself. Get ready, take a shower, brush your teeth, dry your hair… You can’t leave until Quiboloy tells you to leave the room.]

Amanda also told the Senate panel that at Roy’s orders, she massaged Quiboloy’s feet who was asleep at the time. When the church leader woke up, he told her to sit in the center of the bed.

She then told the panel that Quiboloy undressed her and raped her. He then ordered Amanda to sleep with him.

Afterwards, Amanda and her sister left KOJC. However, the church which sponsored her studies allegedly did not release her transcript of records, meaning she was unable to complete her studies at JMC.

Two Ukrainian women, alias Sofia and Nina, alleged similar experiences with Quiboloy and the church.

Sofia, who was 21 when she joined in 2014, said: “At first our relationship [with Quiboloy] was very good, very warm, very friendly. I didn’t feel anything like oh, he likes me.”

“They transferred me in one room. I lived with ‘Jack Roy.’ She is pastoral and one of the closest, like she’s very close to pastor.”

Sofia said Roy – described as the bridge between pastorals and Quiboloy – would ask her if she was ready to sacrifice everything to God, including her body.

“When he [Quiboloy] sees that there is no Ukrainian girls and I’m alone, he starts more and more to talk to me,” she added.

Sofia said Quiboloy asked her: “[Do] you want to sacrifice, [do] you want to sacrifice everything? Even your body?”

She said Roy also ordered her to massage Quiboloy’s feet.

“When he (Quiboloy) realized I’m not coming, he went out and pulled me in his room. I was scared. He said massage me, feet here,” Sofia told the panel.

“And suddenly he started to move my hands to put on his back, butt and he said massage here. After that little by little, he just turned to me and he removed my clothes. He just removed my clothes and have sex with me,” Sofia said.

Nina, who joined KOJC in 2012, claimed Quiboloy began abusing her in 2013. She did not disclose her age.

Like the other women, she was asked by Quiboloy if she was ready to sacrifice everything, including her body.

The Ukrainian said she left KOJC in 2021 and that over the course of her eight-year stay, Quiboloy allegedly sexually abused her.

Quiboloy was nowhere to be found during the hearing. Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who chairs the panel, said that it sent two invitations to the church leader.

Quiboloy’s legal counsel, Atty. Melanio Elvis Balayan, was present at the hearing.