Apollo Quiboloy

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“”For many shall come in my name, saying, 'I am Christ'; and shall deceive many.

—Matthew 24:5

“”First of all, to God, then to my beloved country. I am ready to be ostracized or persecuted because of this love – love for humanity as a whole. .

—Quiboloy as he smugly looks at himself in the mirror feeling handsome

Apollo Carreon Quiboloy (locally [kɪboˈlɔɪ]; (April 25, 1950–)), also known as Pak U PACQ, is a Filipino pastor cult leader, far-right activist and alleged sex offender who founded the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, a Restorationist megachurch based in Davao City, Philippines. A sworn narcissist and crackpot, he styles himself as the "Appointed Son of God" and "the Owner of the Universe", and has made bombastic claims about his divinity, none of which impressed both Philippine and U.S. authorities who clearly wanted his head on a silver platter due to his extensive criminal record in the States, including but not limited to allegations of human trafficking, corruption, and child sexual abuse, as well as his dogged evasion of justice in his home country.

All in all, Quiboloy is one of many textbook examples of how theocratic influence in politics has always been a stumbling block in a country that is predominantly Christian yet is beset by rampant kleptocracy and unchecked machinations by religious leaders, all because crooked politicos have sought their aid to secure a guaranteed bloc of voters who'd mindlessly bow to their poobah's orders.

A life of kookery

Quiboloy was born and raised in Davao City to parents of Kapampangan descent who migrated to Davao following World War II in search of opportunities. He used to be a member of the United Pentecostal Church prior to making a name for himself by establishing his own congregation in 1985 after a spat with the United Pentecostal Church of the Philippines (UPCP), naming his new sect Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name (KOJC).

UPC pastor Gordon Mallory recalled his experiences with the young Quiboloy during the late 1960s. Mallory, who previously mentored Quiboloy, described him as someone who “went from a pauper, a beggar, to a multi-billionaire,” with a “lifestyle of the rich and famous.” According to him, the Quboloys were about as dirt-poor as the impoverished folk who now come to him in hopes of blessings; Quiboloy and his family once lived in a nipa hut and used to beg for food, and he also suffered from tooth decay as a young man. Mallory then took the young Quiboloy under his wing and had his decaying teeth treated in exchange for studying at a Bible school. Mallory then lamented on how Quiboloy lost his way:

He developed into a wonderful preacher and became our national youth president... But somewhere along the line, he tripped up, left our organization, formed his own, and became something he really isn’t, but he really started to lift himself up…. He turned his back on the apostolic truth…

The world is yours, or so you think.

I can't blame you if you mistook this megachurch for a casino in Las Vegas.

Having gained prominence especially in his native Davao, Quiboloy claims to have amassed over six million followers across 200 countries, though investigations by local authorities dispute said claims. His televangelism has also unsurprisingly enabled him to acquire assets and venture into industries such as media production and sports management through Sonshine Media Network International and Sonshine Sports Management, as well as what amounts to his answer to Iglesia ni Cristo's Philippine Arena called the KJC King Dome. Quiboloy's influence allowed him to forge connections with prominent politicians in the country, portraying himself as a kingmaker anointing political leaders to be voted by his flock; his family's support for Ferdinand Marcos's dictatorial regime also led him to his (erstwhile) friendship and endorsement of Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr., Ferdinand's son and current top honcho at the Malacañang Palace.

And with his senior posting at the megachurch he founded also came in the batshit crazy crankery, having developed a narcissistic god complex by appointing himself as a self-styled messiah, apparently not content with his status as a mere pastor unlike fellow Filipino televangelists Mike Velarde and Eddie Villanueva. Quiboloy cultivated a cult of personality centred on himself and his purported status as the Messiah. As such, he had the gall to make bombastic claims about how he is able to control the weather and earthquakes at his command, claiming to have halted the 2019 Cotabato earthquakes after yelling "Stop!" He also stated that he did not do the same to stop the onslaught of Typhoon Kammuri (Tisoy) in response to those critical of his earlier claim in stopping the Cotabato earthquakes. He also went so far as to make narcissistic claims that the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus was spreading due to the "persecuting, prosecuting and maligning" he received from the public, especially in light of the FBI investigations and US government sanctions levelled against him. Some scholars, particularly parish priest and exorcist Ambrosio Nonato Legaspi, note that new religious movements such as those of Quiboloy's employ a form of doublethink by basing their teachings on what amounts to shaky theology "through ambiguity, definitional reversals, and deliberate imprecision." That is, Quiboloy virtually claims being God but none of his followers think he is.

According to investigative reports, the KOJC's business model revolves around soliciting donations from his flock – a significant portion of which are those below the poverty line – who are compelled to give much of their earnings to the church supposedly as an easy ticket to salvation – even if it meant putting themselves and their friends and family at the mercy of Quiboloy's mores and thus in deep debt. It reportedly got to the point that even children are involved, sometimes instructing them to feign disability or even leave school for them to gather funds through begging for alms and selling goods such as pastries which ultimately funnel through their Grand Poobah. Some of these solicitors were allegedly sent to the United States to con unsuspecting Americans under the pretence of charitable efforts, and were promised a permanent stay through unscrupulous means such as arranging for sham marriages. Predictably for a televangelist and megachurch head, the earnings from his congregation allowed him to invest in lavish properties such as mansions in Canada, and Los Angeles (presumably in the affluent Beverly Hills district) worth $6.10 million (₱338 million), similar properties in Hawaii and Las Vegas worth $4.73 million (₱262.52 million) as well as luxury vehicles such as a “brand new Bentley and a Mercedes,” private jets and helicopters, on top of the aforementioned ventures in broadcasting and sports management.

Sonshine with cloudy skies

They said he never be ballin.

His propaganda news media arm, Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), has been used by Quiboloy to spew out hagiographic praise of his supposed achievements, including but not limited to his claimed "record-breaking" performance at a basketball game in 2022; a user left a comment on a Spin.ph article debunking Quiboloy's "performance" as simply manipulated by SMNI for propaganda purposes. SMNI gained criticism from watchdog and media groups for its alleged far-right bias, peddling of fake news, and "red-tagging" against individuals and groups critical of the Duterte administration, having also been complicit with its role in spreading misinformation about the 2022 Philippine elections as well as the broadcast shutdown of media conglomerate ABS-CBN, which former president Rodrigo Duterte spuriously accused of bias and illicit foreign connections. Despite claims that Quiboloy has no ownership interest in the network and is merely a blocktimer, it is glaringly evident that he holds a controlling stake in the station, from the shell company Phoebus Capital Holdings Inc. (whose name alludes to the Greco-Roman deity Apollo), to the head silhouette on the SMNI logo evoking that of Quiboloy himself.

SMNI's troubles doesn't stop there, however: flagrant violations of provisions set for the network prompted legislators to file bills proposing the revocation of SMNI's broadcast franchise, particularly unauthorised changes to their corporate structure as well as allegations of spreading fake news, such as when SMNI spuriously alleged that House Speaker Martin Romualdez had spent 1.8 billion pesos (roughly around $32 million) for his travels, resulting in the detention of two of the hosts of the talk show Laban Kasama ang Bayan, (Fight With the Nation) who were cited in contempt by the House after one of its hosts – Jeffrey Celiz — refused to reveal his source for his claim regarding Romualdez. Not helping matters was when the Rodrigo Duterte-hosted talk show Gikan sa Masa, para sa Masa (From the Masses, for the Masses) was suspended by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) when Duterte went by his usual self and made televised death threats against Alliance of Concerned Teachers Rep. France Castro in two separate episodes: October 10 and November 16, despite an initial warning already being issued by the MTRCB on November 8. In response to these violations, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) issued a thirty-day suspension order against SMNI, which was later made indefinite when the network failed to comply with an earlier show cause order.

SMNI's suspension (and impending dissolution) inevitably led to speculation about the beleaguered ABS-CBN, whose broadcast franchise was previously revoked on Duterte's (indirect) orders supposedly as a favour to his crony and confidante; a number of netizens expressed their desire for authorities to reinstate ABS-CBN's franchise in exchange for SMNI to be kicked off the airwaves for good. Such rumours about the possible reinstatement of ABS-CBN's franchise still remain unsubstantiated, however, and were linked by the Philippine Star to unscrupulous "trending news" content farms on social media spreading out-of-context or patently false news to gullible Filipino netizens for clout and ad revenue.

Kicked by a campy horse

In 2019, prominent gay comedian Vice Ganda satirised Quiboloy's faux divinity by challenging him to take Ang Probinsyano, a police procedural aired by ABS-CBN since 2015, off the air. SMNI anchor and Quiboloy associate Mike Abe responded to Vice's sketch by kissing Quiboloy's arse and sung praises of his dear leader, reprimanding and cussing at Vice for perceived slander. ABS-CBN's broadcast franchise was revoked the following year, with which Quiboloy claimed victory.

He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy

“”As much as I would like to participate in every debate and public forum related to my bid for the presidency, I am compelled to decline the invitation of SMNI, which is owned by Apollo Quibuloy, who, according to the US government, has molested and abused children. I cannot, in good conscience, be part of any activity organized by a man wanted for detestable crimes and who unconscionably used the name of the Lord in vain for religious scams.

—Manny Pacquiao, in a stopped clock moment denouncing Quiboloy.

Quiboloy's ugly mug as prepared for him by the FBI.

As if his crankery wasn't enough, a number of former KOJC members broke their silence and accused Quiboloy of various offences, including but not limited to human trafficking, child abuse, and rape. This led to the United States Department of Justice indicting Quiboloy and other church members in 2021, with the Federal Bureau of Investigation following suit by including him in the Most Wanted list. In December 2022, the US Department of Justice and Department of State imposed sanctions against Quiboloy for human rights abuses and corruption, with key assets owned by Quiboloy in the States seized pursuant to the US Global Magnitsky Act. Former KOJC member-turned-whistleblower Arlene Stone-Rocks shared harrowing stories on a video she uploaded in 2023, where she claimed that youths studying at the Jose Maria College — Quiboloy's university — resort to doggedly begging for alms ostensibly for charity, also corroborating claims about children as young as twelve who were allegedly molested by Quiboloy, particularly when a mother fell for the pastor's woo and put up her daughter to study at the pastor's educational institution, only for Quiboloy to violate the poor girl. Arlene also shared a leaked recording allegedly of Quiboloy where the pastor sternly warns of so-called "angels of death", i.e. a death squad out to silence defectors and whistleblowers. Stone also alleges that Quiboloy was pimping her pastorals to the Filipino elite Epstein-style, mostly high-ranking government officials such as his best buddy Duterte.

The indictment claims that Quiboloy allegedly coerced girls as young as eleven and young women to have sex with him, as well as running a sex trafficking operation that threatened victims under the pain of "eternal damnation" should the victims refuse to comply. Paedophilia aside, the Feds also questioned Quiboloy's wealth — whose assets also include luxury vehicles, real estate, firearms and private jets — which they alleged to have been ill-gotten through prostitution and corruption of church funds.

Further adding fuel to the fire was when the Philippines' Department of Tourism featured Quiboloy on their Facebook page when they promoted their "Love The Philippines" tourism campaign meant to stimulate the tourism industry which was previously impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, all despite backlash concerning Quiboloy's alleged sex offences.

In a stopped clock moment, fellow fundie kook and former boxer Manny Pacquiao declined an invitation by Quiboloy to participate in a debate for the 2022 Philippine presidential election, citing Quiboloy's past sex offences. Quiboloy went apeshit and filed a libel suit against the ex-pugilist, which was dismissed by Davao City prosecutors due to lack of evidence. A few other presidential candidates at the time also declined to attend, namely Panfilo Lacson, who perceived the so-called "debate" as heavily skewed in favour of Quiboloy's (erstwhile) preferred candidate Bongbong Marcos.

On January 2024, some of the above-mentioned ex-KOJC members appeared before a Philippine Senate hearing where they testified against the pastor, alleging that they were coerced and eventually sexually assaulted. A woman going by the alias of "Amanda" recounted in graphic detail on how she was recruited by Quiboloy's ministry and allegedly molested by the pastor himself, and at least two "pastorals" of Ukrainian descent, going under the aliases "Nina" and "Sofia", also accused Quiboloy of coercing them to "sacrifice everything, including [their bodies]." Unsurprisingly, Quiboloy snubbed the hearing despite being summoned to explain his situation, even going to far as belittling the investigations and daring senator Risa Hontiveros to summon and aid his accusers into suing him.

On September 2024, Quiboloy was arrested by police in the Philippines after a two-week standoff on charges of sex trafficking in the Philippines and the United States. Reports produced by the Philippine National Police (PNP) corroborate earlier claims that Quiboloy allegedly abused young girls in his ministry. Further witness testimony also described Quiboloy's gross sexual deviancy in harrowing, unspeakable terms; PNP Spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo stated that victims were assured by the pastor that they remain "pure" and "intact" despite having sex with "the spirit of God."

The PNP's investigation also revealed how Quiboloy attempted to emulate if not beat King Solomon's record of 700 wives and 300 concubines by scoring as many pastorals as possible through brainwashing and subsequent sexual abuse, based on the narratives of former pastorals who used to subscribe to his twisted teachings.

Son of God vs Laughing Indian Meme Man

In June 2023, Indian-Canadian YouTuber Mutahar "Muta" Anas, best known for running the gaming commentary channel SomeOrdinaryGamers, filed a complaint against Quiboloy's YouTube accounts to YouTube staff via Twitter, having stumbled upon Quiboloy and learning about the FBI warrant for his arrest. Google later clarified in a statement that the ban was in compliance with existing US government sanctions against Quiboloy. This was later followed by similar bans on several other accounts owned and/or affiliated with Quiboloy, such as the SMNI News and Kingdom of Jesus Christ channels, again in compliance with existing sanctions; They attempted to dodge sanctions by creating an alternate account for SMNI shortly after the previous ban on their old channel, but said alt account was also banned a few days later, though there exists a few more accounts that appear to be affiliated with Quiboloy and/or SMNI to some degree; it's only a matter of time before YouTube gets around to cleaning house and purging the accounts in question. There also existed an SMNI News mobile app for Android platforms but it appears to have been also delisted likely in compliance with sanctions.

Surprisingly enough, even TikTok joined in on the banning spree, as they terminated Quiboloy's presence on their platform on July 5, 2023, citing existing US sanctions. As to whether the now-Elon Musk owned Twitter X will follow suit is anyone's guess; the latter certainly gave Quiboloy leniency because of Musk's committment to Freeze Peach, though. Meta on the other hand complied and banned at least some of Quiboloy's accounts on their Facebook and Instagram platforms, later clarifying in a statement with Rappler that the ban was due to violations of their policies regarding "Dangerous Organizations and Individuals" as outlined in their terms of service. This also extends to third parties showing support or representation of Quiboloy and/or any organisations associated with him.

This is following an earlier deplatforming action against the SMNI News Facebook page which was suspended over community guidelines violations, likely due to misinformation allegedly peddled by Quiboloy's media arm.

Quiboloy remains unfazed however, again playing the persecution card and claiming that the channel takedown was an act of "political and religious persecution" from American authorities, never mind the fact that the rash of complaints was sparked by a tweet from a Canadian content creator who otherwise had nothing to do with him and was compelled to make the filing on Quiboloy out of concern for the sex offences the pastor allegedly committed. He along with SMNI later created accounts on the alt-tech video sharing site Rumble which he described as a "cancel culture-free" service, though it is doubtful at best for major telecom providers in the Philippines to subsidise access to such webshites like what they do with mainstream social media platforms, thereby limiting their audience even further.

As of November 2024, both Quiboloy and SMNI still maintain sockpuppet accounts on social media platforms in spite of US sanctions which led to previous takedowns, though the PNP has urged Facebook and YouTube to shut down said accounts on the grounds that Quiboloy and his cohorts are "using those social media platforms as leverage for their illegal activities and criminal activities".

Der Untergang

Not so godly after all, huh?

“”He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.

—Luke 23:35

“”I think it's important to keep a balance in things. Yeah, balance, that's the right word. Cause the guy who wants too much risks losing absolutely everything. Of course, the one who wants too little from life might not get anything at all.

—Michael Sorvino, as Tommy Angelo, Mafia (2002)

In response to numerous legal complaints against Quiboloy and his business ventures, the Philippine House of Representatives gave him an ultimatum to show up at a legislative hearing concerning SMNI's franchise as well as allegations of sexual abuse lest he be arrested for contempt of court; it even got to the point that the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines have had enough of Quiboloy's antics and urged him to stand trial. Quiboloy brazenly remained defiant and went into hiding, alleging in a recorded message that the FBI, along with the CIA, the US Embassy, and US State Department were colluding with Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. – his erstwhile ally and the one whom he staunchly endorsed during the 2022 presidential elections – and were out to assassinate him; Romualdez debunked said claims of a conspiracy between the US government and Marcos, however, maintaining that they were "unfounded and divert attention from the serious legal matters at hand."

With Uncle Sam closing in on him by way of California district judge Terry J. Hatter Jr., who unsealed the arrest warrants against the embattled pastor, it's only a matter of time for Mr. Apollo to submit himself to the authorities, as much as his lawyers as well as his Senate lackeys Robin Padilla, Imee Marcos, Cynthia Villar, and Bong Go expressed their objections to have Quiboloy prosecuted. Said senators who came to the defence of Quiboloy reasoned that they're objecting to the prosecution either because they're good friends with the pastor as in the case of Cynthia Villar, or that putting a religious figure under legal scrutiny is, according to Robin Padilla, a breach of separation of church and state, never mind the fact that said separation has been violated countless times in the country, more often than not as concessions for both the Roman Catholic Church (e.g. in issues such as divorce and abortion) and Islam with the creation of the Bangsamoro region and recognition of Sharia law, amongst others. Following mounting legal pressure against him, Quiboloy entrusted Duterte to administer his numerous properties.

Oh, look, a wanted poster. It has Apollo's name written all over it.

In a show of utter desperation, Quiboloy went on a long-winded tirade on April 6, 2024, again reiterating his claim that the American authorities are colluding with Marcos and tearfully sneered that they'll never take him alive and he will die as a martyr a la Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio: "Here, my blood will be shed. Here, I will die. Let it be, as long as it’s a Filipino who kills me. That’s OK with me," also insinuating that authorities would assassinate him in perhaps much the same way as what befell many of Vladimir Putin's opponents, i.e. death under suspicious circumstances. He did, however, assure that he is ready to face charges so as long as Bongbong would guarantee that there wouldn't be any interference on part of the Americans; Bongbong no-sold Quiboloy's demands, however, dismissing these as mere "tail wagging". Marcos also assured Quiboloy that the proceedings held for the embattled pastor would be fair. When asked about concerns regarding Quiboloy's extradition, he stated, "That's going to take years. So I don't think that it is something he should worry about." Duterte later claimed in an interview that he wanted nothing to do with his friend's case, stating "You’re wanted, don’t drag me into this," and even provided some speculation on Quiboloy's possible hideouts, but knowing him, it could be yet another one of those doublethink theatrics of his.

On April 2024 the Philippine National Police (PNP) admitted that they were struggling to find the elusive pastor, publicly appealing to him to just give it up and face the music, though there have been sightings of what appeared to be Quiboloy's helicopter sighted in the highlands of Sarangani where Quiboloy was said to have started his ministry. Quiboloy's case was later ordered by the Supreme Court of the Philippines to be transferred from Davao to Quezon City in an effort to avoid miscarriage of justice.

A month later, the PNP conducted another raid at Quiboloy's residences in an attempt to arrest him, again to no avail. Duterte cried afoul of the move, and in a peak moment of irony, called the police action "overkill", never mind the fact that he has historically used both police and vigilante resources to wage his war on drugs with reckless disregard to human rights. Sara Duterte, Rodrigo's daughter and current Vice-President of the Philippines, issued a press statement on August 24, 2024 where she asked for forgiveness from the KoJC for urging their members to vote for Marcos in the 2022 presidential elections and condemned the PNP's attempts at nabbing Quiboloy in his compound; unsurprisingly, netizens called her out on this show of hypocrisy and cognitive dissonance, questioning why she would suddenly care about rule of law and human rights even when her father brazenly and openly condoned vigilante killings against suspected drug dealers, not to mention how she and her family are still vehemently defending an alleged sex offender.

On 8 July 2024, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. announced that a group of private individuals pooled together a ₱10 million (roughly $170,000) bounty for the arrest of Quiboloy, with his still-fugitive cohorts each having a ₱1 million ($17,000) bounty as well. This was also alongside the potential legal liability Duterte is facing for allegedly coddling the embattled pastor, especially given their mutual friendship. The ₱10 million bounty was soon topped by a ₱15 million (roughly $256,000) reward offered by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). Interestingly enough, Quiboloy's supporters offered a ₱20 million (roughly $340,000) reward for those who can provide information over the pastor's whereabouts, likely in an effort to one-up or outright troll authorities who are still struggling to capture the elusive minister.

"Today I saw a miracle man, on TV crying. Such a hypocritical man, born again and dying..."

On August 8, 2024, the Court of Appeals ordered the freezing of Quiboloy's bank accounts and properties, including but not limited to accounts of KOJC and the Swara Sug Media Corporation, which operates the Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), as per a petition filed by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), which if thoroughly enforced should deprive Quiboloy and his already-crumbling empire of ill-gotten wealth; it is known that Quiboloy and his cult has been weaseling around U.S. government sanctions by relying on expatriate Filipinos to funnel funds through the church, hence why Risa Hontiveros is appealing to authorities to cooperate with foreign counterparts to keep the now-disgraced pastor from exploiting the use of offshore accounts. Davao police authorities also believe that Quiboloy is hiding in his compound all along. Police intelligence also allege that Quiboloy and his followers have set up an elaborate network of underground bunker-style hideouts and tunnel networks, some of which lead to Davao’s Francisco Bangoy International Airport in case Apollo needs to make a quick exit. They also noted that given Quiboloy's leagues of fantatical supporters ready to take on the authorities for their Grand Poobah, noting that it would be difficult for them to conduct further operations without risking a Waco-style confrontation (which indeed culminated in one such standoff) and stressed that they would not want to cause casualties from both sides.

He got yeeted from heaven faster than what Satan ended up in the Bible.

Acting on intelligence – including but not limited to reported signs of human activity in an underground bunker – scores of Davao police officers set up camp and laid siege within Quiboloy's estate, though not without resistance from the embattled pastor's fiercely loyal supporters who not only resisted police but also journalists covering the ensuing standoff, of whom Quiboloy supporters spuriously accuse of journalistic bias. Perhaps to make up for past failures to capture the defiant Quiboloy, the local police bureau vowed not to back down until the fugitive minister is arrested in spite of the aforementioned protests from the Dutertes, who continued to defend their friend despite backlash and mounting public pressure against them.

Finally, after a several-month long manhunt and a week-long siege at the KOJC compound, Quiboloy was arrested by the authorities on September 8, 2024, confirming what the PNP suspected all along. The Philippine Deprtment of Justice earlier said that they have next to no say over Quiboloy's extradition, potentially leaving him at the mercy of US authorities. Marcos, however, stated that the now-arrested pastor would have to face charges in his native Philippines first prior to a possible extradition.

The PNP did release mug shots of the accused shortly after their arrest, albeit to intense backlash from netizens who criticised the police for perceived unnecessary censorship in the name of human rights – the PNP cited compliance with the country's Commission on Human Rights and their guidelines over humane treatment of accused; interior secretary Benhur Abalos promptly released uncensored mugshots of Quiboloy and his co-accused to assauge concerns by netizens (especially over possible fake news and conspiracy theory posts on social media which may spuriously allege that the now-jailed pastor may be a body double or something along those lines).

On September 13, the now-disgraced pastor along with his co-accused was present at a court trial in relation to his atrocities, which senator Risa Hontiveros – who played a significant role in the downfall of Quiboloy – described as having "caused unspeakable pain to women, children, and the most vulnerable." Quiboloy remained adamant about his innocence and pleaded "not guilty" in spite of witness testimony from alleged victims who claim to have been molested by him.

On October 2024, Guia Cristeta “Neneng” Duenas, a high-ranking KOJC official residing in America as part of Quiboloy's operations in the States, entered a plea bargain deal with US law enforcement in exchange for a lenient sentence and cooperation with the authorities. Duenas admitted guilt in a California court in relation to immigration fraud conspiracy charges, and her insider knowledge of the church's operations could strike a crucial blow to Quiboloy and his mounting legal troubles, putting him in further jeopardy.

Later that month, Quiboloy's lawyers appealed to have their client put up on hospital arrest citing Quiboloy's supposed medical condition, only for the Pasig Regional Trial Court to no-sale their request. Hontiveros praised the decision, stating that no special privileges should be granted to those accused of heinous charges "such as human trafficking, rape, child abuse and many others."

On October 23, Quiboloy was summoned before a Senate hearing–after many months of futile requests by authorities which ended up in a police raid at his compound–where he showed absolutely no remorse or shame and continued to deny allegations of human trafficking and sexual assault, stating "There is no truth to what they are saying. If they have criminal charges against me, they are free to file charges and I will face them in a proper forum like the court just like what I’m doing right now." Founding KOJC member Teresita Valdehueza on the other hand testified how she felt deceived and manipulated by the pastor. In her statement, she said that she initially felt that "sleeping beside a man chosen by God was an opportunity" for a sinner like her, only for Quiboloy to cynically lust and violate the poor woman, with the pastor assuring her and the other women whom he raped was God's way for them to "surrender their body, soul, and spirit" similar to the above-mentioned testimony. Valdehueza also corroborated statements by other witnesses regarding the organised alms-begging operations, where she was given a ₱10-15 million quota. Valdehueza also claimed that she was ostracised and shamed by Quiboloy in his sermons after she left the church out of disillusionment, branding her as "Jezebel, the temptress." In what amounts to a show of bravery and resistance against their former tormentor, a number of Quiboloy's alleged victims showed up at the hearing unmasked, revealing their real identities and confronting the pastor face-to-face; Ukrainian former KOJC pastoral "Sofia"–real name Yulya Voronina–attended the meeting through a video link from her native country. Quiboloy also questioned the authenticity of a rather disturbing audio clip attributed to him where he reportedly made veiled threats to his pastorals and insisted that they are his sole property under the guise of spiritual submission, suggesting that it should be subject to further authentication as it may have been a deepfake fabrication; to Quiboloy's credit it is trivial to make audio shitposts based on his voice and pass it off as his, e.g. with fake news reports claiming that Quiboloy admitted guilt or something along those lines with an equally phony statement from him to boot, but then again he may be just using it as a convenient alibi to deny any sort of responsibility.

Attempt at a political career?

Ever the defiant nonce that he is, Quiboloy filed a certificate for candidacy through his legal representative in a bid to run for a senatorial position in the upcoming 2025 Philippine senatorial elections; whether he'd be able to push through or otherwise – given the charges he is currently facing, and considering the (politically motivated) housekeeping done on his camp and by extension Duterte's whom Marcos Jr. had a falling out with – remains to be seen.

The Philippine Department of Justice (DOJ) Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Jose Dominic Clavano IV opined that Quiboloy's senatorial bid should spur the government to act swiftly on the charges levelled against the pastor, further opining that Quiboloy's campaign may serve to impede any extradition request Uncle Sam has with Quiboloy. Risa Hontiveros was unsurprisingly none too pleased about Quiboloy's continued flaunting of the law and mockery of the election system, urging the voting public to "not elect lawbreakers as lawmakers" this coming elections. While she does acknowledge the right for every citizen to run for public office in the name of democracy, Hontiveros lashed out at Quiboloy's boneheadedness and audacity to present himself as a public servant in spite of countless allegations of grave moral turpitude, stating "Apollo Quiboloy, you should have a little shame," adding that "for someone facing multiple charges, including human trafficking and child abuse, and who even hid from the law, you really had the audacity to present yourself to the public as a candidate for legislation."

See also

• Branch Davidians, a similarly batty cult whose downfall is not unlike Quiboloy's
• Rodrigo Duterte, one of Quiboloy's best buddies
• Jeffrey Epstein, his American counterpart

External links

• Official webshite
• Webshite for his megachurch
• FBI wanted notice