Senator Risa Hontiveros yesterday said she wants Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder Apollo Quiboloy to be subpoenaed and grilled on charges of sexual abuse, including rape and other crimes.
This developed as the National Telecommunication Commission (NTC) disclosed it issued an indefinite suspension order against Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) owned and operated by Quiboloy’s KOJC for alleged failure to comply with a 30-day suspension order last December.
Senate rules provide persons who defied its subpoenas to attend the chamber’s legislative hearings can be cited for contempt and held in its detention facility.
Quiboloy was a no-show in Monday’s hearing of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality chaired by Hontiveros.
Bureau of Immigration chief Norman Tansingco has confirmed that Quiboloy, who is also wanted in the United States, on fraud charges was still in the Philippines.
Two Ukrainian women and a minor have accused Quiboloy of repeated rapes while serving as his “pastorals” or personal aides.
Hontiveros said Quiboloy was sent an invitation through a private courier and registered mail, but the televangelist merely sent a letter to Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and a special power of attorney for his lawyer Melanco Elvis Balayan.
During the hearing, the Ukrainian complainants identified only as “Nina” and “Sofia” recounted how they were sexually assaulted multiple times by Quiboloy after brainwashing them that having sex with him was part of their religious sacrifices.
Nina said she joined the Davao-based KOJC sometime in 2012 upon the proddings of her mother and siblings. That same year, she became a “pastoral” or a special assistant to Quiboloy.
Nina recalled that Quiboloy personally told her that if she wanted to become a pastoral, she must sacrifice everything including her body.
“I was very innocent to that, I did not understand. I thought it meant you must not get married,” she said in video testimony played during the Senate hearing.
She said Quiboloy flatly told her that sacrificing her body “meant having sex with him.”
For her part, Sofia said she joined KOJC in 2014 when she was 21 years old. She said her roommate Jacqueline Roy, another pastoral, told her of being ready to “sacrifice everything, including her body.”
According to Sofia, she already had many sacrifices in joining Quiboloy’s group in Davao.
She further stated that Filipino pastoral Jack Roy told her to go to Quiboloy’s room because he wanted a massage.
“I took a bath. I put pajamas. I’m crying, I’m scared. It’s night and because I never stay in pastor alone in the night, the dark. I was nervous. It was a big room. And before Quiboloy’s room, there was a little room.”
“Ate Jack led me there and she said, ‘Go in pastor’s room.’ And I just stayed in this little room because I was scared and I was crying and the pastor was waiting for me.”
Amanda, a full-time “miracle worker” of the KOJC testified that she was raped by Quiboloy on Sept. 1, 2014.
Amanda said she was just 17 years old at the time.
In between sobs, Amanda recalled her harrowing ordeal as she failed to resist Quiboloy’s sexual abuse.
In a statement, the NTC said it issued an order directing SMNI to desist from operating its radio and television stations, pending a hearing and final consideration of the administrative case before the Commission.
This is according to Section 4, Rule 10 of the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure before the NTC, which allows the agency to motu proprio issue a cease-and-desist order against any respondent to protect the interest and welfare of the public.
The NTC previously issued a 30-day suspension order against respondent Swara Sug Media Corporation, the parent company of SMNI, effective upon its receipt thereof last Dec. 21, 2023.
Despite this, the agency said it received reports showing that SMNI “did not strictly comply with the suspension aspect thereof and was still operating in certain areas” in Western Visayas as of Dec. 27, 2023.
In addition, the order stated that during an administrative hearing last Jan. 4, 2024, the NTC gave SMNI an extension to file its answer to the complaint until Jan. 15, 2024.
But instead of filing an answer, SMNI filed a Motion for Bill of Particulars on Jan. 11, which the Commission denied on Jan. 16, 2024.
The order also noted that respondent Swara Sug moved to inhibit all three sitting NTC commissioners from further proceeding in the case, instead of directly addressing the allegations against it.
The NTC had already denied said motion to inhibit in a separate order dated Jan. 17, 2024 due to utter lack of merit.
The NTC directed Swara Sug to explain in writing within 15 days from receipt of the order dated Jan. 18, 2024, why it failed to strictly comply with the 30-day suspension.
Founded in 1987, SMNI is a broadcast media network associated with the KOJC organization of Quiboloy. It has headquarters in the cities of Davao and Makati.
