MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court (SC) has allowed the transfer of doomsday preacher Apollo Quiboloy’s cases from Davao City to Quezon City.

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The High Court announced on Tuesday, May 28, that the SC Second Division approved the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) request to move Quiboloy’s sexual and child abuse cases from Davao City to the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC).

In April, the DOJ made the request to the SC “so that the same team of prosecutors may be able to prosecute both cases together.” Aside from the Davao City cases, Quiboloy faces a non-bailable human trafficking case pending in Pasig City.

In its request to the High Court to transfer Quiboloy’s cases, it said, “The significance of the subject cases extends beyond the local context, touching on broader national policies, public interest, and security concerns.”

“The preservation of integrity of the proceedings as there is a likelihood of local biases potentially affecting the trial’s impartiality in Davao City,” the DOJ had also said in its request.

In its order, the SC said it found compelling reasons to justify the transfer because the cases “involve public interest, with the accused, a well-known religious leader, being influential in the area.”

“As this could cause local biases and a strong possibility that witnesses cannot freely testify due to fear and influence of the accused, the Court found it prudent and judicious to order the transfer of the cases to Quezon City,” the SC added.

Davao City is Quiboloy’s turf – his Kingdom of Jesus Christ’s compound is located in the city. The Quiboloy-founded church said it has 4 million followers across the country, and another 2 million overseas. 

Quiboloy is also a known ally of the Duterte family, which has great influence in Davao local politics. Former president Rodrigo Duterte’s sons are local officials: Sebastian is the sitting mayor, while Paolo is Davao City’s 1st District Representative. The fugitive also oversees the operation of Sonshine Media Network International, along with a string of radio stations, newspapers, and magazines.

In its order, the SC also directed the Davao City court to forward the entire records of Quiboloy’s cases to the executive judge of the QC RTC. The QC court, meanwhile, was ordered to raffle the cases among its judges.

“The Court further directed judges in Davao City and in other stations in Mindanao where future related cases involving Quiboloy and his co-accused may be filed to motu proprio order the transmittal of the records to the Office of the Clerk of Court of the RTC, Quezon City and Metropolitan Trial Court, Quezon City, as the case may be,” the High Court added.

For his alleged abuses, Quiboloy faces several cases in the country and abroad. 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 on the US Federal Bureau of Investigation’s most wanted list. 

The Senate had previously ordered Quiboloy’s arrest after the preacher was held in contempt for snubbing the summons of the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality. In April, the DOJ said the fugitive remains in the country.

Quiboloy has yet to be arrested despite the standing warrants against him. – Rappler.com