Child trafficking raps vs Quiboloy non-bailable: lawyer

ADVERTISEMENT

dpo-dps-seal
Welcome, Kapamilya! We use cookies to improve your browsing experience. Continuing to use this site means you agree to our use of cookies. Tell me more!

Child trafficking raps vs Quiboloy non-bailable: lawyer

Rowegie Abanto,

ABS-CBN News

 | 

Updated Apr 04, 2024 01:40 PM PHT

Clipboard

iWantTFC

Watch more on iWantTFC.com. Watch hundreds of Pinoy shows, movies, live sports and news.

Watch more on iWantTFC.com. Watch hundreds of Pinoy shows, movies, live sports and news.

MANILA — The child trafficking charges against controversial Pastor Apollo Quiboloy is non-bailable, former Philippine Bar Association president Rico Domingo said Thursday.

On Wednesday, the Davao City police served the arrest warrants issued by a regional trial court against Quiboloy, founder of Kingdom of Jesus Christ, and his co-accused in their alleged sexual and child abuse crimes.  

"Ang hindi bailable diyan ay probably child trafficking under Republic Act 7610," said Domingo, also the chair of the Movement Against Disinformation.

Ferdinand Topacio, Quiboloy's lawyer, had said that they would exhaust all judicial remedies in relation to the pastor's cases, claiming that "some powerful individuals" were "hell-bent on persecuting" his client.

Quiboloy recently denied that he sexually abused female personal assistants or "pastorals", saying the women made up the accusations because he rejected them.

Quiboloy accuses alleged rape victims of 'Potiphar's wife syndrome'

Domingo added that the Senate could still summon Quiboloy in its separate hearings into the pastor's alleged abuses after the police served the arrest warrant.

"The investigation of the Senate is according to its rules and procedures in aid of legislation," he said.

"Face the music. Follow the rule of law. Huwag na nating patagalin pa ito," Domingo also said.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla previously said that his agency is "dedicated to the enforcement of our laws and the protection of our children from exploitation and abuse."


'RESPECT THE PROCESS'


Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said Quiboloy should now surrender himself to authorities.

 "Dapat galangin niya (Quiboloy) ang proseso. Ang warrant ngayon means na ito ay formal court na pwede niyang ipaliwanag doon sa korte, sa formal court, puwede niyang depensahan ang sarili niya. At pwede niya ring ipaliwanag ‘yung kanyang side," Gatchalian said.

"Dahil narinig ko sinasabi nila na ang Senate at Congress hindi naman formal court. Ngayon may warrant na which is issued by a formal court. So, in other words, ‘yan ang inaantay niya para mapaliwanag niya ‘yung kanyang side," the senator added.

Aside from the arrest warrant issued by the court, the Senate has a standing arrest order for Quiboloy over his repeated refusal to face the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, which also investigates into his alleged crimes. 

ADVERTISEMENT

— With a report from Sherrie Ann Torres, ABS-CBN News


ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

It looks like you’re using an ad blocker

Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors. Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker on our website.

Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors. Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker on our website.