Quiboloy pleads not guilty to trafficking, child abuse charges
Metro Manila, Philippines — Religious leader Apollo Quiboloy has pleaded not guilty to two counts of qualified human trafficking and child abuse charges.
In a message to NewsWatch Plus on Friday, Sept. 13, his legal counsel Israelito Torreon confirmed the development on Quiboloy’s case and his four co-accused.
“All the accused pled not guilty,” Torreon said.
Torreon said Quiboloy’s four co-accused have entered the same plea.
An orange-clad Quiboloy, wearing a helmet and bulletproof vest, was escorted by police from his detention facility at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame to the Pasig RTC 159 early Friday.
Quiboloy, founder and leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), is facing criminal charges for allegedly violating the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.
They also attended a video conference arraignment for child abuse charges before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 106.
Hospital arrest
Philippine National Police spokesperson PCol Jean Fajardo said Quiboloy will remain in police custody pending the resolution of his appeal for a hospital arrest.
Quiboloy and his co-accused Ingrid Canada made a motion to be transferred to the Veterans Memorial Center in Davao, said Fajardo.
Canada’s motion was denied.
“Accordingly ay meron po silang existing medical condition at nahihirapan po sila sa Custodial Facility, at ang desisyon po ng judge diyan ay ni-require ang PNP na sila po ay titignan po ng mga government doctors to check their medical conditions,” Fajardo said in a briefing.
[Translation: Accordingly, they have an existing medical condition, and they are having a hard time at the Custodial Facility. The judge required the PNP to have them checked by government doctors to check their medical condition.]
Another counsel of Quiboloy, Mark Tolentino, said that they prefer to be transferred to a Davao hospital, but any hospital would do.
The four co-accused will be transferred to a Pasig jail.
The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) said officers of the Pasig City Jail received a commitment order from the Pasig court.
“In preparation for this turnover of custody, the BJMP has inspected the male and female dormitories of Pasig City Jail. The BJMP is prepared and on standby as of this time,” BJMP spokesperson Jayrex Bustinera said.
Meanwhile, Tolentino appealed the transfer of the co-accused to the Pasig jail as Quiboloy will be left without companions.
“Walang social media, walang TV, kahit music man lang na religious songs, bawal. Tapos siya lang mag-isa, at least may kausap man lang. Kasi ‘yung kulungan nila, mga ilang square meter, mga six or seven square meters, at least pwede silang magsigawan,” Tolentino said.
[Translation: There’s no social media, TV, or even religious songs. Then he will be left alone. At least let him have someone to talk to. Because their cells are just six or seven meters, they can shout at each other.]
He said Quiboloy has been reading the Bible and practising religious activities in detention.
Some victims claimed to have been sexually abused by the televangelist when they were as young as 12.
Quiboloy surrendered to authorities on Sunday after a two-week police operation at the KOJC compound in Davao City, where he had been hiding.
This is by virtue of an arrest warrant issued by the Davao Regional Trial Court Branch 12 for sexual abuse of minors and maltreatment – a case that has been transferred to the Quezon City RTC.
Quiboloy has been wanted by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation since 2021 for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion and sex trafficking of children; conspiracy; and bulk cash smuggling.
