Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Monday the Department of Justice could issue an immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) against Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder and Pastor Apollo Quiboloy should there be a need to do it.
Guevarra stressed that with such an order, the Bureau of Immigration would be mandated to closely monitor Quiboloy’s travel outside the country using the airports or seaports.
“We can issue an ILBO motu proprio (on one’s own initiative). We’ll play it by ear as we examine the evidence before us and as outside events unfold,” Guevarra said in a text message to reporters.
Quiboloy and two other members of KOJC have been indicted in the United States and the Federal Bureau of Investigation has released “wanted” posters on the religious leader.
A federal warrant was issued against Quiboloy in the US on Nov. 10, 2021 over his grand jury indictment before the US District Court for the Central District of California, Santa Ana, California “for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion; conspiracy; and bulk cash smuggling.”
In the Philippines, a complaint for alleged rape and child abuse against Quiboloy in 2020 had been dismissed by the Davao City Prosecutor’s Office. However, the complainant elevated the prosecutor’s resolution of dismissal before the Department of Justice, which is now pending resolution.
“The DOJ, upon application by the complainant-appellant, may issue an ILBO (against Quiboloy) in the meantime,” Guevarra stressed.
“Until the DOJ finds sufficient reason to reverse the finding of the city prosecutor, it has no basis to apply for a precautionary hold departure order (PHDO),” he said.
An ILBO is different from a hold departure order (HDO) and PHDO that are issued by the courts to prevent a person from leaving the country.
An HDO is only issued when charges have been filed against a person in court, while a PHDO is issued at the request of prosecutors due to ongoing preliminary investigation of a complaint against a person.
Guevarra earlier said the DOJ had not yet received any official communication from the United States government for the possible extradition of Quiboloy.
“Extradition cannot be done motu proprio, especially if the subject is our own citizen. Any communication will be coursed through diplomatic channels,” he said.
“The process is governed by the Philippines-US extradition treaty. The US State Department makes the extradition request. Our DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) checks the sufficiency of the request; if sufficient, the DFA endorses it to the DOJ (Department of Justice). We (DOJ) then file a petition for extradition with the proper RTC (regional trial court) on behalf of the US government,” the secretary explained.
“The rest of our judicial process, including appeals, follows. In case the issuance of a warrant of arrest becomes necessary, the subject may post bail for his provisional liberty. Extradition is supposed to be a summary proceeding; we’re not supposed to be trying the US criminal charges here. But we have had cases where the process reached the Supreme Court, but were ultimately implemented,” he said.
On the issuance of ILBO, PHDO or HDO, Guevarra said: “We’ll study the legal basis for such an action in the absence of any official request or communication from the US side.”
Quiboloy’s lawyers had said the pastor would abide by the decision of the Philippine court if and when an extradition request is made by the US government.