Padilla opposes Senate probe on Quiboloy

Senator Robin Padilla is against the investigation sought in the Senate against Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy.

Padilla said in an interview that he will not support the investigation against Quiboloy, saying this is a "case of Americans."

"Kaso ng Amerikano yon. Kaso na Amerikano 'yung kay Pastor. Ano yon? Parang ICC (International Criminal Court) din? Sunud-sunuran na naman tayo sa dayuhan? Ganon ba ang dating noon?" Padilla asked.

(That's a case pursued by the Americans. Is that like the ICC probe? Are we going to follow what the foreigners want?) 

While he said that it is the right of Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros to pursue such probe, Padilla said he won't support allegations that stemmed from foreign courts' investigation.

"Kami, ako lalo, nangangati ako pagka kaso ng puti e... Na-o-offend si [Andres] Bonifacio. Ayoko talaga. Pero kung sa Pilipinas, wala akong magagawa. Pilipino 'yon e. Kung pagbabasehan natin ay korte ng ibang bansa, no way," Padilla said.

(I'm allergic to cases pursued by the Americans because it offends our hero, Andres Bonifacio. I don't support that. But if that is the case in the Philippines, I won't oppose it. If we will base it on the allegations raised in foreign courts, no way.)  

Since there are allegations of child abuse and sexual abuse, Padilla said the witnesses making such claims should also be investigated considering that there are resource persons who may retract their claims.

"Kailangan nating imbestigahan ang mga witnesses kung sila ay nagsasabi ng totoo. Ang tagal naman ninyo na nanonood ng hearing dito. Kakaunti ang witness na nagsasabi ng totoo dito... Magsasabi ng statement ngayon, kinabukasan iba na 'yung statement," he said.

(We need to investigate the witnesses if they are really telling the truth. In the Senate, there are witnesses who are lying. It is hard to believe the accounts of the resource persons in the Senate. They will make a claim today then they will retract their statement tomorrow.)  

Last Monday, Hontiveros filed a resolution seeking a Senate investigation into the alleged case of large-scale human trafficking, rape, sexual abuse and violence, and child abuse which she said were done “under the cover of a religious organization.”

She also delivered a privilege speech where she shared the accounts of the alleged victims of Quiboloy’s criminal activities.

Hontiveros also called on the Department of Justice to issue an Immigration lookout bulletin order on Quiboloy to prevent him from “escaping accountability.”

Responding to these allegations, Quiboloy's legal counsel Ferdinand Topacio dared Hontiveros to file cases and bring this to the courts.

“Ang ginagawa po ni Senator Risa Hontiveros ay isang panlilinlang sapagkat ang sinasabi po niya, gusto niyang imbestigahan itong mga alegasyon ng human trafficking, may mga testigo raw siya laban kay Pastor Quiboloy at sa grupo ng Kingdom of Jesus Christ, ngunit itong bagay na ito ay hindi po dapat sa Senado iniimbestigahan,” Topacio said.

(What Senator Risa Hontiveros is doing is deception because she wants to investigate these allegations of human trafficking supposedly committed by Pastor Quiboloy and the Kingdom of Jesus Christ even though these matters should not be investigated in the Senate.) —VAL, GMA Integrated News