ONE MORE TIME
THE “one more chance” agreement given by the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality chaired by Sen. Risa Hontiveros is only up to 48 hours for founder and leader of Kingdom of Jesus Christ Pastor Apollo Carreon Quiboloy.
Hontiveros said the leader of KoJC will have to explain in 48 hours why the Senate should not arrest him should he continue to ignore the invitation and subpoena for him to submit himself in the senate investigations.
“The show cause order is meant to give Pastor Quiboloy 48 hours to submit himself and to explain his reason why he should not be arrested. And if within 48 hours starting March 13, which is today, he still ignores our request for him to appear in the Senate, then the warrant of arrest will be in motion. Pag hindi po siya magbigay ng katanggap tangap ng dahilan, then the Senate President will sign the order and will give instruction to the OSSAA (Office of the Senate Sergeant at Arms) to serve the warrant of arrest immediately.” Hontiveros said.
Quiboloy, the self-appointed “son of God,” in his earlier pronouncement gave sets of conditions which will be the basis before he will attend the hearing of Hontiveros insisting that the committee is already violating his constitutional rights and has been pronounced guilty already.
“Gusto po natin bigyan siya ng lahat ng karapatan para sabihin kung ano ang totoo sa likod ng maraming akusasyon ng mga testigo na diumanoy naagrabyado niya. At iyon ang rason kung bakit ang sinuman sa mga binabangit sa senado ay iniimbita ng pormal upang ma balanse ang totoo at marinig in aid of legislation kung anong mga batas ang pwedeng makatulong sa amin para mabigyan proteksyon ang lahat ng mamamayan base sa hinihingi ng sitwasyon,” Hontiveros explained.
Hontiveros further said that her committee already contacted the Department of Interior and Local Government to assist the OSSAA in implementing the arrest of Quiboloy should he continue to ignore the invitation of the committee.
“I believe the PNP through the DILG will help us in looking for Quiboloy and implementing the arrest order. Nag request na po tayo at sa pagkaka alam ko ay naka ready naman po silang umalalay at tulungan ang ating OSAA. Meron po tayong 48 hours mula ngayon March 13, para maghintay kay Pastor Quiboloy na tugunan tayo,” Hontiveros clarified.
Formally, the Senate issued a show-cause order, signed by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and Sen. Hontiveros directing Quiboloy to explain why he should not be arrested for disregarding its summon for him to attend the chamber’s inquiry.
Zubiri earlier said in an interview he will try to convince Hontiveros to issue first the show-cause order instead of a warrant of arrest to Quiboloy citing the Pharmally case and the decision of the Supreme Court.
Hontiveros, who is leading the probe into allegations of sex abuse, human trafficking and child abuse, said if the KoJC leader fails to do so, they will have now enough reason to arrest him.
