WPP vows legal action over 'unauthorized' nomination of Quiboloy as Senate bet

The Workers’ and Peasants’ Party (WPP) led by labor leader Sonny Matula said it will take legal action against those responsible for issuing the group’s Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance (CONA) to detained religious leader Apollo Quiboloy who is seeking a Senate seat in the 2025 midterm elections.

The WPP is referring to Quiboloy's certificate of candidacy which stated that Quiboloy is running as one of the group’s candidates.

“We at the WPP are currently conducting our own investigation regarding the alleged CONA issued under WPP for Mr. Apollo Quiboloy. We want to categorically state that Quiboloy has no official endorsement from the leadership of the WPP and is not a member of the party. Our investigation seeks to understand how Quiboloy obtained a CONA under our party, given that only three individuals are authorized to sign such documents: the Chair, the President, and the Senior Vice President,” Matula said on Wednesday.

“Rest assured, once our investigation concludes, we will take the necessary legal action to protect the integrity of the WPP. Our Secretary General is abroad and cannot sign any CONA. As the President of WPP, I affirm that I did not sign any CONA for Quiboloy. Furthermore, both the Chair and Senior Vice President have confirmed that they, too, did not authorize or sign such a document,” the official added.

As part of WPP’s due diligence, Matula said that they already officially communicated with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to secure documents related to this matter to ensure transparency and accountability within the party.

While Quiboloy remains innocent until proven guilty, Matula stressed the WPP cannot, under any circumstances, “endorse an individual facing serious allegations including trafficking, money laundering, and sexual abuse of minors, all of which have findings of probable cause.”

“The WPP holds itself to the highest standards of integrity, and these allegations are entirely incompatible with the values our party upholds. Quiboloy is currently detained for these offenses in various courts. If this document originated from another group, we reject any unauthorized factions that attempt to use our name for their own purposes,” he said.

According to Matula, the WPP will be filing for the cancellation of the CONA and pursuing appropriate legal charges against any individuals who have usurped authority to issue such documents without a legal basis. —RF, GMA Integrated News