MANILA, Philippines — Controversial evangelist Apollo Quiboloy is back in the hospital today after a Pasig court granted his request for an extension of his medical furlough.
Israelito Torreon, Quiboloy’s counsel, said the leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) will be brought back to the Philippine Heart Center (PHC) in Quezon City today at around 8 a.m. and will stay in the hospital until Wednesday.
“It was approved until Wednesday. Discussions were high, but the request was approved anyway,” he told reporters in an interview after a hearing on the religious leader’s cases at the Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 159.
Torreon refused to disclose in detail the medical procedure Quiboloy will undergo, but before the hearing yesterday, he said in an interview over ABS-CBN that the medical furlough is for an infection from the pastor’s dental implants, as well as for other medical tests.
Quiboloy is facing a qualified human trafficking case before the Pasig RTC, a non-bailable offense. He is also charged with child abuse at a Quezon City court.
The Philippine National Police (PNP), for its part, has yet to issue a statement on Quiboloy’s latest medical furlough.
The religious leader has been staying at the PNP Custodial Center at Camp Crame since September after he was arrested inside the KOJC compound in Davao City.
Quiboloy was previously granted a medical furlough due to an irregular heartbeat and underwent several tests at the PHC.
‘Baseless’
Meanwhile, former interior and local government secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. has filed a counter-affidavit seeking the dismissal of charges brought against him by former president Rodrigo Duterte over the controversial raid on the KOJC compound in Davao City.
The operation, conducted from Aug. 24 to Sept. 8, led to Quiboloy’s arrest. A long-time Duterte ally, the pastor also faces criminal charges in the US, including sex trafficking, fraud, cash smuggling and conspiracy.
In his sworn statement submitted to the Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday, Abalos refuted Duterte’s complaints – which include allegations of grave abuse of authority and misconduct – as baseless and politically motivated.
“The filing of the complaint-affidavit is clearly politically motivated and brought in bad faith, intended to harass me and besmirch my good name,” Abalos said.
He emphasized that his role as secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) did not automatically make him liable for alleged actions committed by the police.
“The complainant failed to substantiate his claims that I was aware of the circumstances allegedly inflicted upon KOJC members. Being the DILG secretary during the police operation does not make me criminally liable under the doctrine of command responsibility,” he added.
The raid, which involved over 2,000 police officers, included a search of the sprawling KOJC compound and led to the discovery of an underground tunnel in the basement of Jose Maria College, one of the compound’s facilities.
Duterte, acting as the administrator of KOJC properties, filed a malicious mischief complaint regarding the alleged damage caused by the operation. He and supporters of Quiboloy have since argued that the raid infringed on religious freedoms and violated property laws.
Abalos firmly stood by the raid, calling it a lawful and necessary action to apprehend Quiboloy. “If we did not do what we should have done, pastor Quibuloy would not have been arrested. So, whatever their demands are, they have the right to do so,” he said during an interview at the DOJ.
He urged law enforcers to remain steadfast when acting within the bounds of the law, stating, “Don’t be afraid, as long as you know that what you’re doing is right, don’t be afraid.”
Despite the controversy, Abalos expressed confidence in his defense, reiterating that the operation was conducted in the interest of justice and the protection of victims. — Christine Boton