Latest news with #Quiboloy
GMA Network
6 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
VP Sara says dad Rodrigo likens fate to Quiboloy amid detention
Vice President Sara Duterte said her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, thinks he and his ally, Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, share the same fate as both are in detention. The vice president is currently in The Hague, Netherlands to visit her father in detention after he was arrested for alleged crimes against humanity during his administration's war on drugs. 'Sabi niya na pareho daw sila ng palad ni Pastor Quiboloy, pareho daw sila ng kapalaran. Tapos sabi niya, 'Sana pala hindi na lang kami naging magkaibigan, baka pa hindi kami napunta sa detention,'' Sara said, recalling her conversation with Rodrigo about Quiboloy. (He said he shares the same fate as Pastor Quiboloy. He told me he wished he hadn't become friends with Quiboloy, so that they wouldn't be placed in detention.) 'Nagtawanan kami, tapos sabi ko, 'Wala namang kinalaman 'yung mga guhit niyo sa palad sa inyong ano…sa mga pangyayari ngayon.' Sabi ko sa kanya, 'Politika lahat 'yan,'' she added. (We laughed about it. I told him that their palm lines/fate have nothing to do with what is happening now. I told him that it's all because of politics.) Duterte was arrested in the Philippines by local authorities on March 11, 2025 based on a warrant of arrest issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). He is currently detained in the Scheveningen Prison in The Hague. Quiboloy, meanwhile, was arrested by local authorities six months earlier or on September 8, 2024, inside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound in Davao City, where the police had been searching for him for weeks. He is currently detained at Pasig City Jail. The religious leader is facing a non-bailable qualified human trafficking charge under Section 4(a) of Republic Act No. 9208, as amended. He is also facing charges under Section 5(b) and Section 10(a) of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act. Recently, a Pasig court has denied the petitions for bail filed by Quiboloy and his co-accused for his qualified trafficking for sexual abuse and labor exploitation case. The Vice President said she has not yet informed her father regarding this development, as she has not read the order of the Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC), as well as the evidence presented by the prosecution that led to the denial of the bail petition. Call for Abante Sara also urged House of Representatives spokesperson Princess Abante to stop commenting on the ICC case of her father, stressing that she should only speak on behalf of the lower chamber. 'Siguro dapat huwag magsalita si Ms. Abante patungkol sa ICC case dahil spokesperson naman siya ng House of Representatives at wala namang kinalaman ang House of Representatives sa ongoing na kaso ngayon,' the Vice President said. (Maybe Ms. Abante should not comment about the ICC case because she is the spokesperson of the House of Representatives and the House of Representatives has nothing to do with this case.) She said that she went to The Hague as a Filipino and as a Vice President fighting for the rights of someone who was brought to and detained in another country. 'So ako, meron akong right. I have all the right to express my anger against what the administration of BBM did. Pero si Princess Abante, siya ay isang spokesperson ng House of Representatives so ang dapat niyang tina-topic o ibinabahagi sa taumbayan ay kung ano 'yung nangyayari sa House of Representatives. Huwag na siyang sumawsaw. It's out of her league,' VP Sara added. (I have the right to express my anger against what the administration of BBM did. But as for Princess Abante, she is a spokesperson of the House of Representatives so she should be only talking about what is happening at the House of Representatives. Do not meddle in this. It's out of her league.) Abante said Monday that the detention of Rodrigo Duterte by the ICC over alleged drug war deaths is based on evidence. The House spokesperson said this in response to Sara Duterte's assertion that her father's detention in The Hague is based on gossip and collusion between the ICC and the Marcos administration.—LDF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
21-07-2025
- GMA Network
Quiboloy's bail petition denied by Pasig court
A Pasig court has denied the petitions for bail filed by detained Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and his co-accused for his qualified trafficking for sexual abuse and labor exploitation case. In a 23-page order dated July 20, the Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 159 denied the petition separately filed by Quiboloy, Sylvia Cemañes, Paulene Canada, Jackielyn Roy, Cresente Canada, and Ingrid Canada. 'At this juncture, the prosecution has sufficiently shown that the evidence of guilt against all the accused is strong on the two crimes of qualified human trafficking committed by a syndicate,' the court said. 'Thus, given these pieces of evidence against all the accused at this point which establish a great presumption of guilt for purposes of bail, the Court must deny their petitions for bail,' it added. The Court, however, stressed that the resolution does not determine the ultimate outcome of the cases. 'The Court is merely tasked with resolving the Petitions for Bail filed by all the accused, and not with rendering a judgment on the merits of the case. There remains a long process ahead, and both parties have the opportunity to present further evidence,' it said. GMA News Online has asked Quiboloy's camp for comment. Meanwhile, the camp of the complainant welcomed the court's ruling. 'We are so happy and grateful that the Petition for Bail of Quiboloy et al has been denied, meaning that the Honorable Court found that the evidence of guilt is strong,' private prosecutor Atty. Joahna Paula Domingo when asked for comment. 'We are hopeful that justice is within reach,' she added. Quiboloy is facing a non-bailable qualified human trafficking charge under Section 4(a) of Republic Act No. 9208, as amended. The Davao City-based religious leader is also facing charges under Section 5(b) and Section 10(a) of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act with a QC court. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
30-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Hontiveros to file NBI complaint vs people behind alyas Rene video
Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday said her legal team will file a complaint with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) against those behind the circulating video of a man who claimed that he was influenced to testify against detained pastor Apollo Quiboloy. Hontiveros was referring to the video of Michael Maurilio or alias "Rene," who alleged that he was paid by the lawmaker to speak lies against Quiboloy, former President Rodrigo Duterte, and Vice President Sara Duterte during a hearing of the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality. The senator, in return, called the video 'fake news' and 'witness tampering' as she presented proof in a press conference that alias Rene was not coerced to testify against Quiboloy and the Dutertes. Senator Risa Hontiveros says that her legal team will file a complaint before the NBI against people behind the video of alias 'Rene:' 'Sa mga nasa likod ng video na ito, you have crossed a line. Sobra na kayo.' @gmanews — Giselle Ombay (@giselleombay_) June 30, 2025 'Sa mga nasa likod ng video na ito, you have crossed the line. Sobra na kayo. Dahil doon (To those behind this video, you have crossed the line. This is too much. Because of this), I have consulted with my legal team and on Wednesday, we will file a complaint before the NBI and seek their assistance in investigating the people responsible for this video, and those systematically circulating it in their disinformation networks,' the senator said. 'This is only step one and we will take further decisive action, including the filing of criminal complaints. Para sa mga testigo at biktima, at para sa Senado, maniningil kami ng hustisya,' she added. (We will demand justice for the witnesses and victims, and for the Senate.) In February last year, a man identified as alias Rene was presented as a witness in the Senate committee hearing chaired by Hontiveros on the alleged abuses of the Quiboloy-led religious group, Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC). The man claimed that Quiboloy hurt him, and that he was sexually abused by several KOJC members. Moreover, he said he witnessed Rodrigo and Sara Duterte carrying firearms when they visited Quiboloy. The Davao City-based religious leader is currently detained at Pasig City Jail. He is facing a non-bailable qualified human trafficking charge under Section 4(a) of Republic Act No. 9208, as amended, He is also facing charges under Section 5(b) and Section 10(a) of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act. —AOL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
22-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
DOJ dismisses Duterte's complaints vs. Abalos, Marbil over warrant serving at KOJC
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has dismissed the malicious mischief and domicile complaints filed by former President and KOJC property administrator Rodrigo Duterte against former Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos and other officials. In a 14-page joint resolution, the DOJ dismissed the two counts of malicious mischief filed against Abalos, Philippine National Police chief Police General Rommel Marbil, and others for damaging the gate of the compound during the serving of warrants against KOJC founder Apollo Quiboloy in August 2024. The DOJ ruled that there was no malice present. 'No evidence—direct or circumstantial—has been offered to show that any of the respondents, much less those who were not physically present, acted with malicious intent,' the resolution read. 'At best, the complainants impute malice based on the scale and nature of the operation, which is legally insufficient,' it added. Aside from this, the DOJ dismissed the complaint for violation of domicile filed against Abalos, Marbil, and other cops. Duterte alleged that the police officers forcibly entered the compound and residential quarters without a search warrant, violating their domicile right. However, the DOJ said that no evidence was presented that the police entered any premises in defiance of the law. 'Their actions, as alleged, fall within the realm of lawful performance of duty and are protected by the presumption of regularity in official functions,' it read. 'Absent any overt act that constitutes an element of the crimes charged, and in the absence of malice, unlawful intent, or personal participation, this Office finds that no probable cause exists to warrant the indictment of the respondents,' The complaint was dismissed by Davao Acting City Prosecutor Angelica Laygo-Francisco. Last August, tensions rose between the KOJC and the PNP as the latter attempted to serve the arrest warrants against Quiboloy. This ended with Quiboloy's surrender to authorities in September after he was given an ultimatum to turn himself in within 24 hours. Quiboloy is facing charges under Section 5(b) and Section 10(a) of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act. He is also facing a non-bailable qualified human trafficking charge under Section 4(a) of Republic Act No. 9208, as amended, before a Pasig court. In a statement, Abalos welcomed the dismissal, saying it is a win for truth and justice. 'It affirms that all our actions were in accordance with the law. Ito ay malinaw na ang aming ginawa ay tamang pagpapatupad ng batas [It is clear that what we did was a proper implementation of the law],' he said. 'This is the end of the matter. The truth has prevailed,' he added. — BM, GMA Integrated News
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Posts falsely claim outdated ballot template proves Philippine election fraud
A TikTok video posted April 14 shows an image of a sample ballot and highlights three senatorial candidates from PDP Laban, Duterte's political party: arrested pastor Apollo Quiboloy, former presidential secretary Vic Rodriguez and actor Phillip Salvador. The purported ballot lists Quiboloy at No. 52, Rodriguez at No. 55 and Salvador at No. 57. The video then juxtaposes this with the party's official campaign posters, which show numbers that are one higher for each candidate (archived link). "The numbers shown for three PDP-Laban candidates became different. Beware," says the video's Tagalog caption, suggesting the Comelec altered the PDP Laban candidates' ballot numbers in an attempt to confuse voters. Several other posts on Facebook and TikTok reshared the claim. Campaigning began in February in the Philippines for midterm elections that could set the table for the next presidential race and determine the political future of impeached Vice President Sara Duterte (archived link). Talk show hosts, movie stars and a preacher jailed on sex trafficking charges are among the candidates vying for a dozen open Senate seats. While the vote will fill more than 18,000 posts nationwide, it is the would-be senators who are facing a duty few bargained for -- serving as jurists in the impeachment trial of Rodrigo Duterte's eldest daughter. The vice president, whose alliance with President Ferdinand Marcos has imploded spectacularly, was impeached by the House of Representatives on February 5 on charges of "violation of the constitution, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and other high crimes". Comments on the posts alleging election malfeasance indicate some users believed the claim. "Cheating starts now," one user wrote. Another said: "What is this Comelec, type of error?" But the posts share an older version of the official ballot template. A Google reverse image search shows the video corresponds to an earlier template version the Comelec unveiled to the public on January 5 (archived link). While this version did show Quiboloy at No. 52, Rodriguez at No. 55 and Salvador at No. 57, the Comelec later updated the ballot to reflect changes in the list of senatorial candidates. On January 14, the Supreme Court ruled to add Subair Guinthum Mustapha to the ballot after it stopped the Comelec from disqualifying him for being a nuisance candidate (archived links here and here). As a result, the Comelec had to reprint the ballots. The commission also updated the templates on its website (archived links here and here). On February 24, PDP Laban's verified Facebook page showed candidates Quiboloy, Rodriguez and Salvador had moved one spot lower (archived link). Ballot changes also affected some of the senatorial candidates under President Ferdinand Marcos's New Philippines Alliance -- not only the three PDP Laban candidates, as the posts falsely claim (archived link). The total number of senatorial contenders remained at 66 after candidate Chavit Singson dropped from the race on January 16 (archived link). AFP contacted the Comelec for comment, but a response was not forthcoming. AFP has fact-checked misinformation related to the 2025 midterm elections here.
