The Department of Justice on Sunday offered a general statement of support for the US government move to sanction 40 human rights violators in nine countries but was noncommittal on the specific case against Filipino pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy, who has been accused of the “systemic and pervasive rape of girls as young as 11.”
“We would like to express our unity in their cause in the protection of human rights and in the eradication of corrupt practices,” DOJ Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Jose Dominic Clavano said, in a text message to reporters.
The statement was in reaction to the decision of the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to block all property and interests in property of the 40 persons identified as being human rights violators or corrupt—including Quiboloy, founder of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, the Name Above Every Name and the spiritual adviser of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The OFAC announced the sanctions on Dec. 9 “in recognition of International Anti-Corruption Day and Human Rights Day.”
Clavano said, however, that the DOJ “has yet to discuss the ins and outs of the sanctions” against Quiboloy.
“It is simply too premature for us to speak on the issue,” Clavano said, even though US prosecutors had indicted Quiboloy more than a year ago, in November 2021.
“Allow us to gather verified information and seek US legal experts’ advice. Then we can act accordingly,” the DOJ official said.
On Dec. 9, the US Treasury Department announced its sanctions.
“As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of US persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC,” the announcement read.
“In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons, individually or in the aggregate unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by US persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons.
“The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.”
On Quiboloy, the US Treasury Department said:
“For more than a decade, Apollo Carreon Quiboloy engaged in serious human rights abuse, including a pattern of systemic and pervasive rape of girls as young as 11 years old, as well as other physical abuse.
“In 1985, Quiboloy founded The Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name (KOJC) church in the Philippines. In 2021, a federal indictment alleged Quiboloy was involved in sex trafficking ‘pastorals’—young women within the KOJC selected to work as personal assistants for Quiboloy.
“Pastorals were directed to have ‘night duty,’ which required them to have sexual intercourse with Quiboloy on a determined schedule.
“Quiboloy kept pastorals in various countries, including the Philippines and the United States.
“Quiboloy exploited his role within the KOJC to rape his victims and subject them to other physical abuse, describing these acts as sacrifices required by the Bible and by God for the victims’ salvation. The pastorals, who were mostly minors when initially abused by Quiboloy, were told by him to ‘offer your body as a living sacrifice.’
“One female reported she lost count of the number of times she was forced to have sex with Quiboloy, as it was at least once a week even when she was a minor and in every country to which they traveled.
Another woman reported she was forced to perform night duty at least 1,000 times.”
It also reported that Quiboloy also subjected pastorals and other KOJC members to other forms of physical abuse.
Reports indicate Quiboloy personally beat victims and knew where to hit them so there would be no visible bruising. Pastorals and KOJC members who angered Quiboloy were at times sent to ‘Upper Six,’ a walled compound used solely for punishment.”
“Quiboloy is designated pursuant to E.O. 13818 for being a foreign person who is responsible for or complicit in, or has directly or indirectly engaged in, serious human rights abuse. As noted above,”
Quiboloy was indicted in November 2021 and is currently on the FBI’s Wanted List.
Quiboloy’s lawyer dismissed the OFAC allegations.
At a press conference, Manny Medrano said the US Treasury Department’s statement was “outrageous grandstanding and utter politics by the US government.”
“This document presents an act as if the pastor has been convicted.
They are mere allegations that we submit are false and they are not true. The pastor has not been convicted of anything and that is why this is so outrageous, based on mere allegations,” Medrano said.