CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – Senator Risa Hontiveros pushed for a Senate order to arrest embattled Davao-based preacher Apollo Quiboloy as he continued to reject a Senate panel’s summons to answer accusations leveled at him by his former followers.

This came as Quiboloy, through lawyer Melanio Elvis Balayan, submitted his response to a show-cause order from the Senate on Friday, March 15.

Hontiveros, chairperson of the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality, earlier cited Quiboloy in contempt for not showing up during the panel’s March 5 hearing on the alleged abuses committed by the preacher and his associates against former workers of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC).

Balayan told reporters that they complied with the Senate committee’s directives by submitting Quiboloy’s reasons for not appearing during the panel’s hearings.

The doomsday preacher had been given from March 13 to March 15 to respond to the show-cause order.

Quiboloy and his lawyer maintained that the ongoing Senate investigation “is not in aid of legislation but is tantamount to usurpation of judicial functions beyond the powers of the Senate.”

They also said the resolution authored by Hontiveros to direct the Senate committee to conduct an inquiry into the reported cases of large-scale human trafficking, sexual abuse, and violence involving the KOJC and Quiboloy “is brazenly incriminatory as it categorically declared the guilt” of the pastor.

Balayan said Senate Resolution No. 884, approved last December, “totally disregarded the constitutional presumption of innocence until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.”

He said Quiboloy’s refusal “is not a sign of disrespect” to the Senate, “but is purely based on the fact that the criminal accusations against him can only be legitimately settled before the competent courts.”

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier ordered prosecutors in Davao and Pasig to file cases of sexual abuse of a minor and qualified trafficking against Quiboloy.

In his previous statements, however, Quiboloy repeatedly said he did not respect Hontiveros and those who supposedly trampled on his constitutional rights.

Hontiveros rejected Quiboloy’s position, and said, “Magpakita na lang si Quiboloy. Bakit ba ang dami pa niyang drama? (Quiboloy should just show up. Why does he have to resort to so much drama?)”

She said she would formally request Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri to approve the warrant of arrest against Quiboloy.

Hontiveros also said Quiboloy’s camp had asked the Senate to tackle the matter about the show-cause order before the plenary.

“Sa totoo lang, wala nga sa rules ang show-cause order. It was a courtesy extended to Senator Robin, at the request of the SP (Zubiri). Kung wala nga sa rules ang show-cause order, much less wala sa rules na kailangan ng hearing in plenary to resolve the show-cause order,” Hontiveros said.

(Quite frankly, the show-cause order isn’t even in the rules. It was a courtesy extended to Senator Robinhood Padilla, at the request of the Senate President. If the show-cause order isn’t even in the rules, much less is there a rule requiring a plenary hearing to resolve the show-cause order.)

Padilla had objected to Hontiveros’ move to cite Quiboloy for contempt and was given, based on the Senate rules, a week to make seven other committee members join him in reversing the ruling. Only senators Cynthia Villar, Imee Marcos, and Christopher Lawrence Go signed Padilla’s objection letter.

Must Read

[EDITORIAL] Kalaban mo ang mga senador na protektor ni Quiboloy

Hontiveros said it would be a double standard for the Senate to allow Quiboloy to get away when there were cases in the past when other senators cited people for contempt and went on with committee investigations even when criminal charges were already filed against witnesses.

Zubiri, she said, even upheld the power of the Senate to hold witnesses in contempt and rejected an argument about the right against self-incrimination.

Hontiveros said, “Makukulong lang si Quiboloy sa Senado sa hindi pagdalo sa pagdinig, at hindi para sa mga mabibigat na paratang ng mga biktima laban sa kanya.”

(Quiboloy would only be detained in the Senate for non-attendance at hearings, not for the serious allegations brought against him by his accusers.) – Rappler.com