Two Kingdom of Jesus Christ administrators both entered “not guilty” on charges of human trafficking and immigration fraud during their arraignment on Thursday in Los Angeles, California (Friday in Manila).
Guia Cabactulan and Marissa Duenas both pleaded not guilty during their arraignment. A third defendant, Amanda Estopare, did not make it to court as she was still on her way to Los Angeles from Virginia where she was apprehended.
According to KJC’s lead legal counsel Michael Jay Green, the two entered a not guilty plea because they are innocent of the charges filed against them by several disgruntled former KJC members.
“We intend to fight the charges that are based on lies and concocted stories. I am confident that the truth will come out and the name of KJC will be vindicated,” said Green.
Earlier, Green claimed that KJC’s legal team has enough evidence to disprove the trafficking and immigration fraud charges filed against KJC’s three administrators in Los Angeles.
Green emphasized that the witnesses against the administrators have lied to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other concerned agencies to support their allegations.
Green added that those who conspired to destroy Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s reputation have received favor from the federal government, including money and visas that would allow them to stay in the United States indefinitely.
One of them is Shishir Kumar Bhandari, a Napelese who fled together with his wife to the United States after he was ordered investigated by Pastor Quiboloy for using funds from KJC’s aviation company for their personal gain.
Bhandari is the son in law of Gregorio Canada, who is earlier identified as the mastermind behind the smear campaign against KJC Executive Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.
In several instances, Bhandari also expressed his desire to replace Pastor Quiboloy as KJC’s Executive Pastor, driving him to join the black propaganda against the KJC founder.
Canada had been misappropriating not only the KJC’s funds, but also government funds allotted for his village, prompting barangay officials to ready charges against him before the Office of the Ombudsman.
Among the alleged anomalies committed by Canada was the hiring of about 100 ghost employees in his office, whose monthly remuneration since 2010 could not be accounted for.
During the time he was in position, it was alleged that he solicited money from politicians, businessmen and other high-ranking officials, who are close to Pastor Quiboloy, claiming it was for Tamayong’s road construction and rehabilitation. However, it was never accounted for nor utilized for its intended purpose.
It was also discovered that Canada committed other illegal acts, such as buying a 40-hectare land in Tamayong using KJC’s fund, only to find out it is inalienable, since it is a government property.
