Apollo Quiboloy, the beleaguered leader of religious group Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), addressed the public for the first time in weeks to admit he is currently in hiding because of an alleged assassination plot against him.
Quiboloy issued his statement through a 36-minute-long voice clip uploaded on YouTube following the subpoenas released by the Senate and House of Representatives to compel him to attend separate congressional hearings.
He avoided directly addressing the summons in his message. Instead, he went on to accuse law enforcement authorities in the United States of trying to kill him. He also claimed President Marcos and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos are colluding with them.
The US government through its Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued a warrant for Quiboloy’s arrest in 2022 on charges related to labor trafficking, sex trafficking, fraudulent visa acquisition, and bulk cash smuggling.
The Senate committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality chaired by Sen. Risa Hontiveros is hearing complaints of sexual assault and labor violations against Quiboloy from former KOJC members.
The House committee on legislative franchises, meanwhile, summoned the televangelist to get his position on the issues leveled against Sonshine Media Network International, the broadcast arm of his religious organization.
Quiboloy said the congressional hearings were meant to damage his reputation. His claims regarding the alleged assassination plot also remain unsubstantiated. The YouTube clip left no indication of his willingness to cooperate with ongoing investigations.
The US Embassy reacted to his rants. It said any questions about legal proceedings should be directed to the US Department of Justice.
“For more than a decade, Apollo Quiboloy engaged in serious human rights abuses, including a pattern of systemic and pervasive rape of girls as young as 11 years old, and is currently on the FBI’s Most Wanted List… We are confident that Quiboloy will face justice for his heinous crimes,” the US Embassy said.