A House leader has demanded accountability from law enforcement authorities regarding the whereabouts of controversial televangelist Apollo Quiboloy, who is the subject of arrest warrants issued by courts and Congress.
“My bigger concern is why Quiboloy hasn’t been found yet,” Deputy Speaker and Quezon 2nd District Rep. David Suarez told the media.
Suarez made the statement in response to inquiries about his stance on the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) endorsing the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) request to transfer Quiboloy’s criminal cases from Davao City to Pasig.
“We’ve been on a manhunt for how many months already. I know the Senate had already issued a warrant against him. The (Philippine National Police) has been looking for him, the (National Bureau of Investigation) has been looking for him,” Suarez said.
Last March 19, the Senate ordered the arrest of Quiboloy for failing to appear at the inquiry into his alleged human rights abuses. Prior to this, the House issued an arrest warrant for Quiboloy for his refusal to cooperate in the inquiry regarding the alleged franchise violations of SMNI.
Quiboloy is also facing arrest warrants from a Davao court for charges of sexual and child abuse, while a Pasig court has ordered his arrest for the non-bailable offense of human trafficking.
Despite these legal actions, Quiboloy has remained elusive, with law enforcement agencies tasked with his arrest unable to determine his whereabouts.
Suarez underscored the gravity of Quiboloy’s evasion, highlighting its implications for the respect of governmental institutions and adherence to Philippine laws.
“This is also a gentle callout to our law enforcement agencies to implement, look for him and put him in proper custody so that we can fully progress into the legal proceedings when it comes to the cases that he is now facing,” the lawmaker said.