Workers' party surprised as Apollo Quiboloy runs under them

MANILA, Philippines — Apollo Quiboloy's submission of his Senate candidacy has caught the president of the party he is running under off-guard as he said that neither he nor other leaders of the party approved his nomination.

Quiboloy's certificate of candidacy, submitted Tuesday, October 8, lists his candidacy as part of the Workers and Peasants' Party (WPP). But WPP President Sonny Matula said he is "not aware" of who cleared the detained sex trafficker's nomination. 

"Only three individuals are authorized to sign on behalf of WPP: the Chair, the President, and the Senior Vice President. As President, I can confirm that I did not sign any CONA for Quiboloy," Matula said in an X post. 

The WPP president said the party's chairperson, Ariel Arias, and senior vice president, Oscar Morado, have "no knowledge of signing a CONA for him."

The Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance (CONA), issued by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), is an official document from a political party that confirms a candidate as their chosen representative for a specific elective position. 

"We will be inquiring from COMELEC who signed his CONA," Matula said.

Comelec Spokesperson Rex Laudiangco told reporters late Tuesday that the poll body will consult with its law department on the matter.

"Since COC is executed under oath, failure to declare the truth may subject the aspirant to perjury,” Laudiangco said.

The Comelec official explained that all certificates of candidacy (COC) and CONAs are simply received as filed during the filing period and will have to undergo further validation. 

After the COC filing period, Laudiangco said the law department will process all submissions to review the following information:

• Authorized signatories. The department will check the authorized signatories for the CONAs of each registered political party.

• Verification. The department will check if all signatories possess the appropriate authority and examine any limitations associated with their signing authority.

• Specimen signature comparison. The department will cross-reference the signatures on the CONAs with the specimen signatures submitted by the parties, which should have been submitted before September 30.

• Candidate status. Individuals with CONAs not issued by duly authorized signatories will be declared independent candidates, along with candidates from parties that have over-nominated.

• Multiple nominations. The Law Department will cancel all COCs from candidates who have submitted multiple nominations for different positions or from two or more party lists.

• Nuisance candidates. Motu proprio cases will be filed against candidates deemed nuisances for the Senate.

The Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder submitted his candidacy through his lawyer, Mark Tolentino, on Tuesday.

Quiboloy, currently held in the Pasig City jail alongside co-accused Cresente Canada, is facing non-bailable charges of human trafficking. His other co-accused are held in a separate correctional facility for women.

Tolentino emphasized that Quiboloy's campaign will be “God-centered and Philippines-centered,” declaring, “He ran because of God and our beloved Philippines.”

Despite his detention, Quiboloy is allowed to file his candidacy. Laudiangco said the acceptance of all COCs is ministerial, as outlined in Section 76 of the Omnibus Election Code. 

“Filing the COC is one thing; accepting someone as an official candidate is another matter altogether," he said.

What is the WPP?

The Workers and Peasants Party is one of the oldest registered political parties in the Philippines, established in 1963 before registering with the Comelec in 1983, according to a The Philippines Graphic report.

Since then, it has fielded senatorial aspirants and supported the presidential bids of former presidents Corazon Aquino and Fidel V. Ramos. 

The party, which champions labor rights and a worker-centered form of governance, elected Matula as its new party president on September 14. 

Matula, a labor leader and current president of the workers' group Federation of Free Workers, will run as senator again next year after his failed bids in 2019 and 2022.

Quiboloy's alleged labor rights violations

Quiboloy is on the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) most wanted list for a range of crimes, including "his alleged participation in a labor trafficking scheme that brought church members to the United States."

The KOJC pastor is accused of orchestrating a scheme that forced church members to solicit donations for a fraudulent charity, according to the FBI. Instead of supporting charitable causes, these funds allegedly went to finance church operations and the extravagant lifestyles of its leaders?. 

Former KOJC members also testified in recent Senate hearings that Quiboloy engaged in labor exploitation by not paying wages to SMNI employees, who received an irregular form of honorarium instead.