MANILA, Philippines — Former president Rodrigo Duterte has admitted it was he who volunteered to manage the properties of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) because his friend and sect leader Apollo Quiboloy “is distracted at the moment.”
Quiboloy is facing sex trafficking, fraud, conspiracy and bulk cash smuggling charges in the United States.
He was also cited in contempt by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, chair of the Senate committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality, for refusing to attend the committee hearing on the sexual abuse and human trafficking allegations against him.
Duterte yesterday said he offered to be the administrator of the KOJC properties to unburden his friend of its day-to-day operations.
“The present rumblings, I would say, would maybe distract the pastor with the day-to-day operation. It was I who offered na ‘Pastor, in the meantime that you are trying to figure out the things that you have to do or say regarding this present whatever... ako na muna ang magpatakbo (I will run things for now),’ ” Duterte said during an interview with vloggers.
Duterte, however, specifically requested that he be left out of the financial side of the group’s operation.
“Let me focus on the properties to see to it that it is preserved well for the congregation… the buildings and the properties which the kingdom owns,” he said.
Duterte also explained that he was chosen by Quiboloy because of their friendship. “Why me? Because I am his friend,” he said.
Duterte and Quiboloy met when the former was serving as a Davao City prosecutor.
Duterte said he used to have his firearms serviced by a guy who was living behind the church of Quiboloy in the city’s slum area.
As the church’s administrator, Duterte promised to “see to it that all Kingdom properties are preserved and taken care of.”
“It’s my way of helping my friend, of helping the Kingdom of Jesus Christ,” he said.
Duterte also added that he is paying his debt of gratitude to his friend who unhesitatingly helped him when he ran for public office. “If the opportunity is there to pay a debt of gratitude, seize it,” he said.
Rep. Rodge Gutierrez, meanwhile, said the designation of Duterte as administrator of Quiboloy’s vast properties cannot intimidate officials and members of the House of Representatives who are investigating alleged violations of the evangelist’s TV network.
“Of course, there’s very little prohibitions to a former president. As a private person, he is free to take on any role that may be offered to him,” Gutierrez – a member of the so-called “Young Guns” in the chamber – told reporters at a briefing.
“The question on whether there will be any implications, I would say there’s barely none. The hearing set will continue as scheduled, and we don’t see any effect from that, which remains to be seen. We don’t know in what manner an administrator will be participating,” he added.
“This would be the best opportunity to explain his side. We understand that he is now claiming he has nothing to do with SMNI, but the other resource persons have been giving conflicting statements,” he said.
“We could not even clarify when did he leave SMNI, or when did pastor (Marlon) Acobo take over. The records of the Securities and Exchange Commission are also in disarray, that’s why we would like to invite him so that he could clear it out,” the lawyer-legislator explained further.
“All he has to do is appear and explain to the committee what is the real timeline of events in SMNI. And maybe then we would have a clearer picture on how is SMNI being managed,” Gutierrez said.
As for Deputy Speaker David Suarez, the Davao City-based evangelist should be true to their network’s mantra that truth is what they would uphold at all times.
“If he is really after the truth, then he should come here in the House and share with us what is his take on the alleged violations on the legislative franchise of SMNI. Why should he be afraid? Why should he be in hiding? It begs a lot of questions on SMNI’s integrity and sincerity,” he said.
“He has nothing to be afraid here. He just has to answer all the questions of our colleagues. That’s all there is to it,” Suarez said.
Sen. Robinhood Padilla, meanwhile, is calling for a Senate inquiry into the indefinite suspension since December 2023 of SMNI.
Padilla, chairman of the Senate committee on public information and mass media, filed Senate Resolution 960 seeking the investigation “in aid of legislation” to avoid serious and irreparable damage or inconvenience to the public or to private interests.
“The imposition of baseless suspension orders on SMNI not only constitutes a denial of due process but also an erosion of press freedom,” Padilla said in his resolution.
The National Telecommunications Commission ordered the indefinite suspension in the operation of the radio and television stations of SMNI after the group failed to comply with an earlier 30-day NTC suspension order.
Padilla maintained the NTC, in its show-cause and suspension orders on SMNI, “failed to indicate the need to suspend the operations of SMNI, much more express how this is necessary to avoid serious and irreparable damage or inconvenience to the public or to private interests.”
He said the right of the people to public information “should not be unduly curtailed” because access to information on matters of public concern would help people by giving them a better perspective of vital issues confronting society.
The Philippine National Police (PNP), for its part, said it is ready to implement orders concerning the cases against Quiboloy.
Col. Jean Fajardo, the PNP’s chief information officer, gave the assurance after a judge from the California Central District in Santa Ana, California ordered the arrest warrant against Quiboloy and his co-accused unsealed.
Quiboloy is wanted by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation for human rights violations, including sexual abuse of minors. — Emmanuel Tupas, Delon Porcalla