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wjili Commentary: Quiboloy’s arrest - when self-proclaimed ‘Son of God’ plays politics
MANILA: Apollo Quiboloy gave himself many titles: Senior pastor. Appointed son of God. Owner of the universe. But on Sep 8, the once-influential Filipino televangelist and spiritual adviser to former president Rodrigo Duterte was arrested on more earthly charges: Human traffickingwjili, and child and sexual abuse. His arrest underscores the power play between two duelling political dynasties in the Philippines.
The arrest (or surrender, according to Quiboloy’s camp) concluded a 16-day search for Quiboloy inside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) church compound in Davao City, in southern Philippines. Quiboloy pleaded not guilty to the charges. The pastor was also on the US Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI’s) most wanted list after a warrant was issued in November 2021 for similar charges, as well as cash smuggling.
The accusations against the preacher are grave and truly revolting. Quiboloy and KOJC officials reportedly hired young women between 12 and 25 years old to serve as “pastoral” or personal assistants. Some were required to do “night duty”, a shorthand for sex with Quiboloy, to show their obedience to “god’s will” and avoid “eternal damnation“.
Moreover, the FBI indictment stated that Quiboloy would also “force members to solicit donations for a bogus charity” that were instead used to finance the church and the KOJC leadership’s “lavish lifestyles”. Former church members revealed that a private militia called “angels of death” were allegedly deployed to intimidate or even kill anyone who challenged the pastor.
HELP FROM POWERFUL FRIENDSCollusion between Quiboloy and political actors should not come as a surprise. Quiboloy and KOJC would not have reached this level of notoriety without the help of powerful politicians, starting from his home base of Davao until the presidential palace.
He is, after all, a close ally, friend, and “spiritual adviser” of Rodrigo Duterte, who ruled Davao for nearly three decades as its mayor before assuming the presidency in 2016. The former president even took over as administrator of Quiboloy and the KOJC’s assets following the pastor’s arrest.
Duterte admitted that Quiboloy would offer him material gifts such as properties and cars but claimed that he would refuse them. Recently, a whistleblower said that Quiboloy would also gift women to Duterte and other officials.
Their relationship reached its peak in 2016 when Quiboloy backed Duterte’s presidential campaign. Duterte’s win supposedly fulfilled a 1998 dream of Quiboloy’s, which prophesied the mayor’s rise to the presidency.
However, this was not the pastor’s first foray into national politics. In 2004, Quiboloy claimed that he heard “a voice from above” saying that former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was chosen to lead the country. Arroyo won a full six-year term after succeeding the ousted former president Joseph Estrada.
Quiboloy gave his blessing for the 2010 elections to Gilberto Teodoro, Arroyo’s defence secretary and the administration candidate, as he was the Almighty Father’s “appointed” one. Teodoro placed a distant fourth that yearwjili, which saw the election of his cousin, Benigno Aquino III.
File photo. Apollo Quiboloy (second from right) walks with presidential candidates attending his 60th birthday celebration in Davao City, southern Philippines, on Apr 25, 2010. (Photo: Reuters/Romeo Ranoco)