President Ferdinand Marcos on Wednesday dismissed conditions set by Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy for his surrender, stating that Quiboloy must deal with the courts directly.
“It seems like he didn’t quite understand the process,” Mr. Marcos said during an aerial inspection of areas affected by Storm Enteng.
“When a court issues a bench warrant or warrant for arrest, it is out of our hands already. It is in the courts’ hands,” he added.
Quiboloy, who is facing charges of sex trafficking children in the U.S. and qualified human trafficking in the Philippines, demanded assurances from Malacañang that he would not be extradited.
However, President Marcos emphasized that the executive branch’s role is limited to enforcing the court’s orders.
“He needs to talk to the court. Our only role right now is to arrest him. So, all these conditions he’s throwing out are irrelevant,” he stated.
Quiboloy remains in hiding after the Philippine National Police (PNP) attempted to serve an arrest warrant at the KOJC compound in Davao City in June. The police are continuing their search for the fugitive evangelist.
The Joint Senate Committees on Justice and Human Rights and Public Order and Illegal Drugs will conduct on Friday an ocular inspection on the KOJC compound in Davao City.
After the ocular inspection to be led by Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III and Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, the latter will preside over the resumption of the Senate public hearing on the PNP bid to capture Quiboloy at the Davao City Hall.
