Court orders Quiboloy to explain video airing without approval

Metro Manila, Philippines - A local court has ordered senatorial candidate and religious leader Apollo Quiboloy to explain the airing of a pre-recorded video without its approval.

The Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 159 - in an order dated Feb. 12 and obtained by the media on Feb. 19 - said it received information that the pre-recorded video aired during a gathering of Quiboloy’s church group Kingdom of Jesus Christ on Feb. 9.

It was posted on the Facebook page of SMNI News owned by Quiboloy.

The court said this was “in clear violation of the guidelines and parameters set.”

It asked Quiboloy to show cause.

In a press conference on Feb. 18, Quiboloy legal counsel Israelito Torreon said the court denied the religious leader’s motion to personally appear in election interviews but allowed him to tape messages for supporters that aired on Feb. 9, 11, and 13.

“It was with the court sanction and order granted after a full-blown hearing,” Torreon said.

Quiboloy has been detained due to child abuse and human trafficking charges.