DOJ: P10-M reward for info on Quiboloy 'legal'

The Department of Justice (DOJ) said Tuesday at a Senate hearing that the P10-million reward for any leads on Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy is legal.

This developed after KOJC Executive Secretary Eleanor Cardona questioned the offer, which she called "bounty." The money was was supposedly offered by a private citizen, as announced by Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. in early July.

"Legal ba ang pagpatong ng P10 million sa ulo... Kasi when you put a bounty of P10 million sa ulo ng isang tao na hindi convicted ng kahit anong korte dito sa ating bansa, 'yun nga mas masahol pa siya sa masahol na terorista at killer dito sa bansa. Pastor is Pastor Quiboloy hindi pa siya convicted," Cardona said at the continuation of the Senate inquiry into the alleged excessive use of force in the serving of warrants on Quiboloy and others.

(Is it legal to put a P10-million reward for someone's capture...? When you put a P10-million reward for someone who isn't convicted by any court, it's worse than being branded a terrorist or killer in the country. Pastor is Pastor Quiboloy, he's not convicted.)

For his part, DOJ Undersecretary Nicholas Ty said that there is a difference between the terms "bounty" and "reward."

"Let us make a distinction between the term bounty and the word reward. This is a reward, not a bounty. A bounty is for people who should be arrested because they are convicts of a crime or they have outstanding warrants of arrest. This reward covers many things, not just the arrest, but information on the whereabouts of the various accused (including) Pastor Quiboloy," Ty said.

"Sinabi namin na legal ang pag-alok ng pabuya or reward sa mga indibidwal na makakabigay ng impormasyon na makakatungo sa arrest ng isang tao. Bakit po ito legal? Unang una, kasama ito sa trabaho namin sa justice sector. Dapat namin ipatupad ang mga criminal laws natin at hindi ito maipapatupad kung ang mga akusado ay hindi matatagpuan. Bukod doon, maliwanag naman sa ating sistema na hindi bawal ang pabuya para mahanap ang isang akusado at madala sa husgado ang isang akusado," Ty added.

(Our position is that offering rewards to individuals who can give information leading a person's arrest is legal. Why is it legal? Firstly, it's part of our job in the justice sector to implement criminal laws which will not be enforced if the accused is missing. Moreover, our system clearly provides that it is not illegal to offer rewards to locate an accused, and bring him or her before the court.)

Backed by laws

The DOJ official said several laws back the legality of giving rewards to receive information on an individual with an outstanding warrant of arrest. These laws include, Ty said, the National Internal Revenue Code, Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, and Anti-Terrorism Act.

"Maraming batas na malinaw doon na maaaring magbigay ng pabuya sa mga taong nagbibigay ng impormasyon," he said.

(Many laws clearly provide that rewards can be given to people who give information.)

Ty added that there is no distinction whether the reward will come from private citizens or the government itself.

"Para sa amin sa DOJ, wala pong masama kung manggaling sa mga pribadong indibidwal ang salapi na gagamitin para sa pabuya," he said, noting that it is in the interest of the Filipino people to enforce the laws.

(For us at the DOJ, there is nothing wrong if money for rewards come from private individuals.)

Ethics questioned

Lawyer Israelito Torreon, counsel of Quiboloy, refuted this and argued that Abalos' acceptance of such reward is against Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.  

"The clear letters of the law state that public officials and employees shall not solicit or accept directly or indirectly... any gift, gratuity, favor, entertainment, loan, or anything of monetary value. The fact that the Secretary entertained the reward is in effect an indirect favor that he granted upon the person unidentified to put up this [reward]," Torreon said.

"He is the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government who manages the entire government operations insofar as law enforcement is concerned. Therefore, he should have high moral, as well as legal ethics, to refuse such favor... Public office is a public trust. Any air of suspicion must be prevented to be accorded to him," he added.

However, Abalos clarified that he never asked for money for the reward.

"Never ako nag-solicit at hanggang ngayon wala akong natatanggap ni singko. Pangawala, napaka-klaro ng sinabi ng Department of Justice," he said.

(I never solicited any money and, until now, I have not received anything. Secondly, the statement of the Department of Justice is clear.)

Motives

Torreon insisted that Abalos' announcement is against the law, even though he is not in possession of the monetary reward yet.

Ty also refuted Torreon's argument, saying the reward that was offered to the DILG cannot be considered as a bribe, which RA 6713 prohibits.

"Ang salaping maaaring mabigay sa DILG pinapalabas ni Torreon na ito ay suhol. Hindi ito suhol. Maliwanag sa batas ito ay magiging suhol kung binago ito o inalok ito para sa pabor. Di naman nagbibigay ng pabor si Secretary Abalos. Ginagawa lang niya ang kanyang tungkulin, ang aming tungkulin na maipatupad ang ating mga batas," the DOJ undersecretary said.

(Torreon is making it appear that money that the DILG may receive would be a bribe. This is not a bribe. The law clearly states that this would be a bribe if this was offered in exchange for a favor. Secretary Abalos does not give favors. He is only doing his job, our responsibility to enforce the law.)

Last July, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos seemed furious when he was asked for his reaction on Quiboloy's camp questioning the motives of private individuals who offered P10 million for information that will lead to the KOJC leader's arrest.

"He can question their motives as much as they want. But magpakita siya (he should show himself). I question his motives. Let me question his motives," Marcos said.

Call for surrender

In the same Senate hearing, Abalos reiterated to KOJC representatives their call for Quiboloy to surrender.

"Kaya naman tumagal 'to, hindi siya sumusuko, eh. Pasukuin niyo si Pastor Quiboloy. Kaya nga nagkaroon ng warrant of arrest, eh. Matitigil lang to kung harapin niya ito. Klaro naman sinabi ko he's still innocent until guilt is proven," Abalos said.

(This has dragged on because he has yet to surrender. Convince Pastor Quiboloy to surrender. That's why there's a warrant of arrest. This will stop if he faces these issues. I've been clear that he's still innocent until guilt is proven.)

Earlier this month, Police Regional Office 11 said that Quiboloy is just staying inside the KOJC compound in Davao City amid an arrest warrant against him.

On June 10, the Philippine National Police - Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) went to the property to serve the arrest warrant.

Tensions rose between KOJC members, who were waiting outside the compound, and the arresting police officers.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte, the designated administrator of KOJC properties, condemned the "excessive and unnecessary force" during the serving of the warrants against Quiboloy and five others.

Arrest warrants 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 (RA) 9208, or Qualified Human Trafficking.

Quiboloy went into hiding shortly after the Senate issued an arrest order against him for refusing to attend the chamber's hearings.

He 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.

In 2022, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) also issued "wanted" posters for Quiboloy and two other members of his KOJC, namely Teresita Tolibas Dandan and Helen Panilag. — VDV, GMA Integrated News