PARAÑAQUE City 2nd District Rep. Gus Tambunting on Wednesday said he remains hopeful that embattled televangelist Apollo Quiboloy will show up before the House Committee on Legislative Franchises.

Tambunting, the chairman of the committee, sees Quiboloy’s attendance as a reciprocal gesture for the panel’s leniency towards the religious leader.

“Talagang lahat ng pagbibigay at luwag ay ibinigay namin during the five-month hearing. Nagsimula po kami November at kahapon lang po nadesisyunan,” Tambunting said during Wednesday’s press conference at the House of Representatives.

Last Tuesday, the Tambunting panel cited Quiboloy for contempt and ordered his arrest by the House sergeant-at-arms for his refusal to comply with a subpoena.

However, the committee decided to postpone the implementation of the twin actions until Friday, in response to an appeal made by Quiboloy’s counsel, Ferdinand Topacio.

Topacio was given three days to discuss the matter with Quiboloy in Davao.

“The mere fact na nagbigay pa rin ng palugit ang committee ng tatlong araw on the request of Atty. Topacio just shows kung gaano hong kaluwag ang committee sa pagbibigay po ng lahat po ng request nila, maski na po sa limang buwan ni minsan ay hindi dumating si Pastor Quiboloy,” Tambunting said.

“Inimbitahan po siya apat na beses [pero] pinagbigyan pa rin on the special request of Atty. Topacio na bigyan po hanggang Biyernes,” he added.

When asked if he believes Quiboloy will really show up, Tambunting said: “Habang may buhay, may posibilidad.”

The committee had issued a subpoena to Quiboloy after he consistently disregarded prior invitations to appear before the panel.

Committee members sought to directly question Quiboloy regarding his role in Swara Sug Media Corporation, which operates under the business name Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI).

Despite his lawyer’s claim that he serves merely as the “honorary chairman” and is not involved in daily operations, evidence suggests he is the “beneficial owner” of SMNI, which regularly broadcasts his preachings.

The hearing stemmed from a series of alleged violations by SMNI, including the dissemination of fake news, involvement in red-tagging, and serious corporate offenses.

Also on Tuesday, the committee approved a bill seeking to revoke Swara Sug’s legislative franchise due to the aforementioned violations.