SENATOR Risa Hontiveros said the Senate will not “adjust” its rules to accommodate the alleged conditions set by Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) Pastor Apollo Quiboloy for him to cooperate in the ongoing investigation of the Committee on Women.

Hontiveros, who chairs the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, said Pastor Quiboloy must comply with the Senate before he can make any demand.

“Ang masasabi ko lang diyan, bakit Senado ang mag-a-adjust sa kanya? The Senate will not bend its rules and procedures for you, Pastor Quiboloy, even if you are, as you say, a self-appointed son of God. Hindi kami para utusan mo,” Hontiveros said in connection with the 17 conditions set by Quiboloy before he can attend the hearing.

Instead of setting conditions, Hontiveros said Quiboloy should instead attend the hearings, give an official statement on record, and not waste the Senate’s and the public’s time.

Quiboloy has been cited in contempt by the Committee on Women, which has the senate chief to order his immediate arrest due to his non-appearance during the hearings despite repeated invitations and subpoena.

But Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri for his part said it is important to give Quiboloy another chance to appear in the Senate before issuing a warrant of arrest.

Zubiri confirmed that he will be discussing the matter to Hontiveros citing the recent ruling of the Supreme Court on the Pharmally issue.

The Senate chief said he sees nothing wrong if the Senate will give Quiboloy another chance to appear before the panel hearing as this will give the KoJC leader a chance and enough time to answer allegations against him like sex abuse, human trafficking, rape, child abuse, etc being hurled against him.

“I think I will talk to Sen. Hontiveros first. Recently the Supreme Court came out with a ruling on the issue of Pharmally where it says that it is important to exhaust all legal avenues as part of due process before issuing a ruling of indirect contempt,” he said.

Another committee hearing for the Senate committee on Women must come up anytime to give the committee the legal rights to issue a show cause order that will Quiboloy his chance to explain why he should not be held in contempt for his continuous refusal to face the senate investigation.

“Pag nag-show cause order ang committee under Sen. Hontiveros and they decided that the answer of Quiboloy is not sufficient and that he will continuously refuse to come to the senate, then it is ministerial on the part of the Senate to immediate issue his arrest warrant,” Zubiri said.

Hontiveros’ camp did not confirm if the lady solon acceded to Zubiri’s request.

Earlier, Hontiveros clarified that some of the committee members apparently want to shield Quiboloy from being arrested and put on confinement but the panel.

She maintained, “Hindi po kami nagkukuyog laban kay Pastor Quiboloy. Kaya kami nag i-isyu ng subpoena dahil sa hindi niya pinapansin ang anuman imbitasyon ng komite kaya kami nag-cite for contempt. Bukod dito, hinayaan ko ang isa sa mga miyembro ng mayorya na makabuo ng numero para kung nais nilang baliktarin ang aking ruling,” Hontiveros said.

She also shrugged off the allegations that she is politicizing the hearing.

She clarified that the hearings aim to craft measures to protect the rights of women and children in a religious organizations and to determine the classification of workers who are not given salaries by the SMNI Network as what was disclosed by a witness in previous hearings.

Hontiveros is also pushing for a law that will penalize church leaders who compel its members to beg on the streets to raise funds for their church.

She said the Anti-Money Laundering Council will be invited in the next hearing, which has yet to be scheduled, to determine if Quiboloy is also engaged in money laundering.

Hontiveros said there is possible money laundering as what was revealed in past hearings since Pastor Apollo Quiboloy used the bank accounts of different people before it can be deposited allegedly to his account.

Meanwhile, Senator Nancy Binay who is the vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality for her part said, “I respect and yield to the wisdom of the Senate chairperson.”

In an ambush interview, March 12, 2024, Binay said she cannot support the move to ignore a Senate invitation specifically the subpoena of the Senate leadership asking Pastor Quiboloy to appear in the senate hearing.

“Parang hindi katanggap tanggap sa akin na hindi sisipot ang isang resource person na pormal na inimbita ng Senado. At sakaling na-reverse naman ang ruling ng chairperson, this is the first time na mangyayari yun. Mawawalan ng power ang Senado kapag hinayaan natin yan.”

Binay said as she confirmed that she will not sign definitely the objection raised by another member, Senator Robinhood Padilla who earlier said he will seek the signature of at least eight members to reverse the ruling of Hontiveros.

According to Binay, she met Quiboloy twice during the campaign period when her father, former Vice President Jejomar Binay was then running for the VP position.

“I think twice kami nag meet kasama ako ng father ko when he was VP. Hindi ko sure kung kasama ako sa kanya na endorso but as far as I am concerned, sobrang serious ang mga allegations and I want to listen to his side of the story,” Binay was quoted as saying.

Sen. Robinhood Padilla has opposed the contempt order on Quiboloy during the hearing held last March 5, saying he does not believe that the accusations against the KOJC leader based on what he knows of him.

Padilla said he looks upon Quiboloy as a “hero” due to the latter’s fight against communists insisting that all charges against the pastor must be forwarded to the proper court to avoid wasting government resources.