No special treatment for celebrity pastor Apollo Quiboloy, says Philippine president
MANILA听–听笔丑颈濒颈辫辫颈苍别听笔谤别蝉颈诲别苍迟听Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Monday that evangelist preacher听础辫辞濒濒辞听蚕耻颈产辞濒辞测听will not be given听蝉辫别肠颈补濒听迟谤别补迟尘别苍迟听following his arrest on Sunday, after a weeks-long police search for the听肠别濒别产谤颈迟测听pastor.
Mr. Quiboloy, a self-proclaimed “owner of the universe” and “appointed son of god”, is聽聽on charges of child and sexual abuse and allegations of human trafficking in the听笔丑颈濒颈辫辫颈苍别s. He is also wanted by Federal Bureau of Investigation in the U.S. on charges of sex trafficking and bulk cash smuggling.
Mr. Quiboloy, who has rejected all charges, is followed by millions of people in the听笔丑颈濒颈辫辫颈苍别s, where church leaders hold heavy sway in politics. He is also a longtime friend of former听辫谤别蝉颈诲别苍迟听Rodrigo Duterte.
“There is no听蝉辫别肠颈补濒听treatment,” Mr. Marcos told reporters on Monday. “We will treat him like any other arrested person and respect his rights.”
“We will demonstrate once again that our judicial system in the听笔丑颈濒颈辫辫颈苍别s is active, vibrant and working,” he added.
More than 2,000 police were聽聽to search a sprawling compound in the southern city of Davao owned by Mr. Quiboloy‘s church, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), on suspicion that he was hiding there in a bunker.
笔丑颈濒颈辫辫颈苍别听police spokesperson Jean Fajardo said on Sunday Mr. 蚕耻颈产辞濒辞测听飞补蝉听, but did not provide details.
Mr. Quiboloy‘s lawyer, Israelito Torreon, disputed the government’s account, saying the听辫补蝉迟辞谤听surrendered to the police and military because he did not want the situation to further escalate. “The innocence of聽蚕耻颈产辞濒辞测听will be affirmed by the court,” Mr. Torreon told DZBB radio.
Mr. Marcos said Mr. Quiboloy‘s camp had set conditions for his surrender, including a guarantee he would not be sent to the United States to face聽.
“Putting conditions is not an option for someone who is a fugitive,” Mr. Marcos said, describing the law enforcement operation to capture Mr. 蚕耻颈产辞濒辞测听as “police work at its best”.
“It is with some relief that I can say that this phase of the operation is over. We will now leave聽蚕耻颈产辞濒辞测听to the judicial system,” he said.
The听笔丑颈濒颈辫辫颈苍别s’ Department of Justice acknowledged the country’s extradition treaty with the US but said in a statement on Monday that Mr. 蚕耻颈产辞濒辞测听will first face trial and serve any sentence in the听笔丑颈濒颈辫辫颈苍别s before any extradition request is granted. – Reuters
