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Friday, March 29, 2024

US govt has ‘options’ for Quiboloy

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A “temporary surrender” is another option for the US government to bring Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, the self-proclaimed “anointed Son of God” and founder of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), before its federal grand jury and answer sex trafficking charges, an official of the Department of Justice said on Tuesday.

DOJ Chief State Counsel George Ortha stressed that the option may be availed of if Quiboloy’s extradition is not possible due to a pending case or conviction by a local court.

In 2020, the Davao City Prosecutor’s Office dismissed the complaints of rape, child abuse under Republic Act No. 7610, trafficking in persons through forced labor, and trafficking in persons through sexual abuse filed against Quiboloy and five others.

The complainant was a former member of Quiboloy’s religious sect who alleged that she was raped in 2014. Quiboloy has denied the claim but the case is still under review by the Office of the Justice Secretary.

According to Ortha, if the appeal of the complainant pending in the DOJ is eventually dismissed and Quiboloy has no other pending case, temporary surrender will no longer be applicable since  his extradition is already possible.

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Talks about Quiboloy’s  possible extradition came out after he was indicted last year by US federal grand jury with sex trafficking along with two co-defendants.

Just recently, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has posted in its website Quiboloy’s picture to announce that he is wanted  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; Bulk Cash Smuggling.”

The DOJ has not yet received any communication from the US government for Quiboloy’s extradition.

Earlier, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said any request for extradition would have to be evaluated first. Malacañang has remained mum on the question of whether President Rodrigo Duterte knows the whereabouts of Quiboloy, spiritual adviser. Quiboloy has denied committing the alleged crimes.

The US embassy meanwhile said the “wanted” poster for Quiboloy is not related to the upcoming May 2022 elections in the Philippines.Quiboloy’s lawyer Atty. Ferdinand Topacio earlier questioned the timing of the release of the poster, and tried to “link” the posters to the coming polls.

Quiboloy earlier endorsed the tandem of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

The US embassy said the “wanted” poster for Quiboloy “follows a multi-year effort by law

enforcement. It is unrelated to the Philippines’ ongoing presidential election campaign.”

The FBI urged people with information on Quiboloy to contact the nearest US Embassy or Consulate. Quiboloy’s associates, Teresita Tolibas Dandan, and Helen Panilag are also on the FBI’s wanted list.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reportedly has yet to receive an extradition request for Quiboloy.

Asked how long it will take the DFA to review the extradition documents before turning these over to the DOJ, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Brigido Dulay said it will depend on how many documents the US will be submitting.

DOJ officials have previously explained that the extradition process, governed by the Philippine-US Extradition Treaty, will require a formal request from the US Department of Justice, coursed through the US State Department.

The US Embassy in Manila will then relay the request to the DFA before it goes to the DOJ.

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