CA issues freeze order vs. Quiboloy, SMNI

The Court of Appeals (CA) has issued a freeze order against the bank accounts and properties of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder Apollo Quiboloy and others.

In a 48-page resolution, the appellate court issued a freeze order against the pastor's 10 bank accounts, seven real properties, five motor vehicles, and one aircraft.

The order also included the bank accounts of KOJC and the Swara Sug Media Corporation, which operates the Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI).

SMNI is the media arm of KOJC.

The court said it found reasonable ground to believe that the bank accounts of Quiboloy are “linked to unlawful activities and predicate crimes” such as qualified human trafficking, sexual and child abuse, sex trafficking of children, fraud, conspiracy, marriage fraud, smuggling, and money laundering, among others.

The CA said the freeze order will be effective immediately and will last for a period of 20 days.

Atty. Israelito Torreon, the lawyer of Quiboloy and KOJC, declined to comment, saying they have yet to receive an official copy of the order.

“The KOJC does not want to speculate as to what is the Order all about because it never had any hint nor inkling about it beforehand,” he said.

“Hence, it is withholding any comment/s about the matter until and after it receives an official copy of the Order and the petition, including its attachments,” he added.

Meanwhile, SMNI lawyer Atty. Mark Tolentino said that though they respect the decision of the court, they will file a motion against it.

“We will file a motion to lift that order to the Court or file a TRO to SC,” Tolentino told reporters.

Quiboloy is facing charges under Section 5(b) of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act and under Section 10(a) of the same act before a Quezon City court.

He is also facing a non-bailable Qualified Human Trafficking charge under Section 4(a) of Republic Act No. 9208, as amended before a Pasig court.

Both courts have issued arrest warrants against Quiboloy.

A P10 million reward is also being offered for information that will lead to his arrest.

PRO 11 chief Police Brigadier Nicolas Torre III said Thursday that based on indicators and informants, Quiboloy is still inside the KOJC compound.

“Yes, that's what the indicators and informants are telling us na nandoon lang sa loob kaya nga binabantayan siya ng mga tagasunod,” Torre said when asked on the matter during the 123rd Police Service Anniversary ceremony in Camp Crame.

(Yes, that's what the indicators and informants are telling us that he was just inside, that's why his followers were guarding the compound for him.)

“Even on June 10, ang sabi is nandoon lang talaga. Lahat ng indicators nandoon talaga e. Kaya siya in-attempt-an na serve-an ng warrant of arrest last June 10 kasi nga nandoon siya,” he added.

(Even on June 10, they said he was really there. All the indicators show he was really there. That's why authorities attempted to serve him an arrest warrant last June 10 because he was there.)

In a statement, Senator Risa Hontiveros, who led the Senate investigation into the alleged human trafficking and sexual abuses perpetrated by Quiboloy in his religious group, welcomed the development and hoped that this would bar him from escaping the authorities.

"Deserve. Dapat lang yan sa mga tulad ni Quiboloy na sukdulan ang kasakiman. Nagpapasalamat tayo sa AMLC sa kanilang aksyon (That is only appropriate for people like Quiboloy who are greedy). This is the second freezing of bank accounts after the ones in the US," she said.

"Hopefully, this freezes Quiboloy’s ability to escape. Hopefully also, our local entities can work with their foreign counterparts to stanch the flow of money to offshore accounts," she added.

For Hontiveros, this is the "start of achieving justice."

"He exploited the faith and goodwill of many Filipinos— mula sa mga menor de edad na pilit pinaglimos, pati sa mga OFW na nagpapakahirap sa ibang bansa para lang makapagbigay sa KOJC (from the minors who were forced to beg on the streets to the OFWs who work hard abroad just to give money to KOJC)," she said.

"Katapusan na ng pagpapakasasa ni Quiboloy . We will not stand idly by while scammers and con artists prey on hardworking Filipinos," she ended.—VAL/AOL/RF, GMA Integrated News