FACT CHECK: No $2-million bounty for Quiboloy’s arrest

Claim: Senator Risa Hontiveros is pursuing fugitive preacher Apollo Quiboloy because of a $2-million bounty for his arrest, according to a Facebook post.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The Facebook post, uploaded on May 11 by a page with 296,000 followers, has drawn 225 reactions, 122 comments, and 350 shares as of writing. 

The post claims that Hontiveros, who led the Senate panel investigation into Quiboloy’s alleged human rights abuses, was motivated to pursue the arrest of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader because of an alleged $2-million bounty.

The post also cited several dubious claims about Hontiveros, including the senator’s alleged affiliation with the New People’s Army (NPA) and involvement in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) corruption scandal.

The bottom line: The United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation has already denied rumors of a $2-million bounty on Quiboloy’s head. The FBI’s most wanted list does not mention any monetary reward for his arrest.

In 2021, a California court indicted the pastor and two affiliates for sex trafficking. (READ: Apollo Quiboloy and the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, from abuse to multi-million properties)

Quiboloy earlier alleged in a supposed audio recording that he was under surveillance by the US Central Intelligence Agency and the FBI. Citing “reliable sources,” he claimed that the US government was offering a bounty for his arrest.

ALSO ON RAPPLER

• Inside Quiboloy’s lavish world: Mansions, rich-and-famous lifestyle in North America
• A peek into Quiboloy’s expensive gun collection
• Stolen lives, lost identities: Quiboloy’s ex-followers traumatized for years
• Quiboloy in the US: More multi-million properties in Las Vegas, Hawaii

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Quiboloy in hiding: The pastor remains in hiding after two courts issued arrest warrants related to a non-bailable human trafficking case and a sexual and child abuse case. (PRIMER: Investigations, cases against Apollo Quiboloy)

The Senate also ordered Quiboloy’s arrest on March 19 after he was cited in contempt for failing to attend committee hearings led by Hontiveros.

Other dubious claims: Regarding the claims against Hontiveros mentioned in the Facebook post, Rappler has already debunked the senator’s rumored affiliation with the NPA. Hontiveros herself said she will “not hesitate to speak against the violations of the NPA.”

Rappler and other fact-checking bodies previously debunked Hontiveros’ supposed involvement in PhilHealth anomalies. Hontiveros was a PhilHealth board member from November 2014 to October 2015, after illegal allowances had been released. ​​She was also not involved in the P15-billion corruption issue in 2019, by which time she was no longer part of the state insurer.

Rappler has also published a fact-check piece clarifying that the Senate followed its rules of procedure when it cited Quiboloy in contempt for failing to attend committee hearings chaired by Hontiveros on January 23, February 19, and March 5, despite being subpoenaed.

Several false claims about Quiboloy have been debunked:

• FACT CHECK: No SC order stopping Senate probe into Quiboloy activities
• FACT CHECK: Video of Duterte attending Quiboloy’s birthday is from 2023
• FACT CHECK: Mainstream media covered rallies of Quiboloy supporters

– Kyle Marcelino/Rappler.com

Kyle Marcelino is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.

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