The House of Representatives showed to members of the media Thursday the detention center it is preparing for embattled televangelist Pastor Apollo Quiboloy in the event he gets into the custody of the House leadership.
House Secretary General Reginald Velasco said the facility, located at the south gate of Batasan Complex in Quezon City, will have air-conditioned rooms and are accessible to the relatives of the detained person.
He said the detention center was built not only for high-profile personalities like Quiboloy, “but for anyone else who would be cited in contempt and be arrested by our sergeant-at-arms.” They can stay in the for a while and be comfortable pending the results of congressional hearings.
“Hopefully they (future detainees) will enjoy their stay here. We promise them a pleasant experience,” Velasco said.
“These rooms are air-conditioned, accessible to the relatives of the person in detention and to the media, whenever necessary. You can monitor their stay,” he added.
The detention center “will be ready by tomorrow (Friday).”
Quiboloy’s legal counsel, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, had earlier asked the House committee on legislative franchises, chaired by Parañaque City Rep. Gus Tambunting to defer the implementation of its arrest order against the pastor until Friday, March 15.
The Tambunting committee cited Quiboloy for contempt during its hearing on multimedia network SMNI’s alleged franchise violations Tuesday afternoon. Quiboloy is the founder of SMNI.