Quiboloy camp questions motive behind P10M bounty

The camp of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy on Tuesday questioned the motives of private individuals who offered a P10 million bounty for information that will lead to his arrest.

“May mga kwestyon lang po kami… kung [bakit] ayaw sabihin ni Secretary Abalos kung sino itong mga pribadong taong ito para malaman natin at makilatis natin ang kanilang motibo kung bakit itong si Pastor Quiboloy ay binibigyan nila ng napakalaking pabuya,” Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, Quiboloy's legal counsel, said in an interview on Balitanghali.

(We have questions… why Secretary Abalos doesn’t want to divulge who these private people are so we can know their motives on why they would give Pastor Quiboloy such a big bounty.)

Topacio said that the Filipino people should have access to matters of public concern.

On Monday, Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos said that there were “friends” who wanted to help in the case of Quiboloy and were offering a P10 million reward for information about him.

Aside from Quiboloy, there was also a P1 million reward for his five co-accused.

However, when asked if they will formally question the bounty, Topacio did not give a categorical answer and expressed hope that Abalos would take back the bounty.

“Siguro naman makikita niya. Maybe he will see the error of his ways at bawiin niya ‘yan. Kunin na lang pondo ng gobyerno at ilagay sa lugar ‘yung amount,” Topacio said.

(Maybe he will see the error of his ways and take it back. Government funds should be used appropriately.)

Topacio also earlier questioned why Quiboloy’s bounty did not come from government funds.

“Anyare doon sa intelligence funds na talaga namang pinaglalaanan at pinag pupuhunan ng mga pabuya sa ganitong rewards,” Topacio said.

(What happened to the intelligence funds that should be for these kinds of rewards?)

Despite this, he recognized that the Department of the Interior and Local government and the Philippine National Police have the right and power to impose bounties on subjects of warrants of arrest.

Warrants of arrest were issued against Quiboloy and others for alleged violation of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act and Republic Act No. 9208 or Qualified Human Trafficking.

Quiboloy has also been indicted by a federal grand jury in the US District Court for the Central District of California for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion; conspiracy; and bulk cash smuggling. —VAL, GMA Integrated News