Contempt, show-cause order, vs Quiboloy; Dutertes show support
Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, the self-appointed “son of God,” is now facing contempt charges before both chambers of Congress as he continues to snub the inquiries against him and his sect, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC).
On Tuesday, the House committee on legislative franchises slapped a contempt charge on the embattled televangelist for dodging the panel’s repeated requests and a subpoena that he appear before its inquiry into the alleged violations of Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI).
The Senate, meanwhile, issued a show-cause order directing Quiboloy to explain why he should not be arrested for disregarding its summons for him to attend the chamber’s inquiry.
Following these developments in Congress, Vice President Sara Duterte and her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, appeared on Tuesday night at a prayer rally at Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila organized by KOJC.
The Vice President on Monday night issued a video message publicly expressing for the first time her support for Quiboloy.
Last week, Quiboloy named the former president as the new caretaker of KOJC’s properties, after a California judge unsealed the arrest warrants against the televangelist over charges of human and labor trafficking of his followers in the sect.
‘No respect’
The House panel, in its subpoena last month, had directed Quiboloy to explain his involvement in Swara Sug Media Corp., SMNI’s legal operating name, as it deliberated on a bill seeking to repeal Republic Act No. 11422, the 2018 law renewing for another 25 years the network’s franchise.
Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Ty Pimentel, the committee’s vice chair, said, “The fact that he has not been appearing in these hearings just shows he has no respect for this committee. He acts like God, and he acts with impunity and he takes these hearings for granted.”
‘Apprehensive’
“Even if we stage hearings 20 more times, and invite him 20 more times, it is very clear that he has no intention whatsoever [to] appear… before this committee,” he added.
Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, who is due to meet Quiboloy on Wednesday, said his client had been “apprehensive that his rights may not be respected because of the [media] frenzy.”
Quezon Rep. David Suarez, however, chided the pastor for “assuming something that has not yet happened…. [T]hroughout the whole series of hearings we’ve had, the committee has been handling themselves properly and legally. I don’t think any rights would have been violated.”
In an interview with the Inquirer, Pimentel said, “We are only giving him (Topacio) three days to talk (to Quiboloy) before we issue the contempt order.”
But Parañaque Rep. Gus Tambunting, committee chair, said he doubted that Topacio would be able to convince Quiboloy to face the House.
‘Witch hunt’
Tambunting’s panel also approved its report seeking the revocation of SMNI’s franchise over the network’s alleged violations of Section 4 of RA 11422 (to “provide at all times sound and balanced programming”); Section 10 (to inform Congress about the sale of the company to other owners or other major changes); and Section 11 (to offer at least 30 percent of its stock to the public within five years).
Quiboloy claims to have divested himself of Swara in 2018.
On Tuesday, SMNI’s legal counsel Mark Tolentino told reporters that Swara had been completely aboveboard with its operations and had submitted a position paper to answer the House panel’s queries.
He also said the “witch hunt” on Quiboloy and SMNI was intended to silence the network ahead of the 2028 presidential election.
“As you know, SMNI is a very influential [network] and it is believed to be a vehicle of the Dutertes, so maybe they (the lawmakers) believe that by taking it out, [the network would no longer be a problem],” Tolentino said. —WITH A REPORT FROM MARLON RAMOS
