MANILA, Philippines – A Pasig City court has issued warrants of arrest against doomsday preacher Apollo Quiboloy.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Thursday, April 11, that Pasig City Regional Trial Court issued the warrants against Quiboloy and five others over qualified human trafficking.

The justice department said the court found probable cause to order Quiboloy’s arrest, along with Jackielyn Roy, Sylvia Cemañes, Cresente, Paulene, and Ingrid Canada for human trafficking.

The charges against Quiboloy fall under Republic Act No. 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003. These cases are non-bailable. 

On April 3, a Davao City court also ordered the preacher’s arrest over child and sexual abuse. 

In her order dated April 11, Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 159 Presiding Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa said Quiboloy’s camp filed a motion to defer/suspend proceedings and hold in abeyance the issuance of warrant of arrest on March 21. However, the judge said she found the motion “prohibited,” so it should be denied. 

“Clearly, from the foregoing, there is no basis for this court to suspend the proceedings by reason of the filing of a motion for reconsideration on the Resolution of the petition for review before the Department of Justice as this is not one of the grounds stated under Section 11, Rule 116 of the Rules on Criminal Procedure,” the order read. 

The judge also noted that the standing principle is once a case is filed with the court, any disposition of the charge relies on the tribunal’s discretion. 

On March 19, the Senate ordered the preacher’s arrest for “unduly refusing to appear” before the upper chamber for the inquiry into his alleged human rights abuses.

Aside from local cases, Quiboloy is also wanted in the United States for sexual trafficking. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in a US District Court in Santa Ana, California in 2021, and landed at the US Federal Bureau of Investigation’ (FBI) most wanted list. – Rappler.com

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