The Philippines government has arrested a pastor wanted in the United States for child sex trafficking two weeks after a massive police manhunt was launched for the self-proclaimed “Appointed Son of God”. Apollo Quiboloy, who has close relations with former president Rodrigo Duterte, is the founder of the Philippines-based Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) church which claims millions of members.....CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE
He was charged by the US Justice Department with sex trafficking of girls and women between the ages of 12 and 25 to work as personal assistants, or “pastorals”, who were allegedly required to have sex with him.
Quiboloy and four other sect members were taken into custody at the church’s compound in the southern city of Davao following negotiations between his representatives and the police and military, Philippine police spokeswoman Colonel Jean Fajardo told reporters.
“This afternoon they negotiated their peaceful surrender after we gave them a 24-hour ultimatum,” Fajardo said.
Four hours later Quiboloy and the four sect members were flown by military aircraft to Manila, where they will be detained to stand trial for “child abuse, sexual abuse and qualified (human) trafficking”, Fajardo added.
Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos earlier on Sunday announced Quiboloy’s arrest on his official Facebook page.
Quiboloy is also sought by US authorities for bulk cash smuggling and a scheme that brought church members to the United States using fraudulently obtained visas.
They were then forced to solicit donations for a bogus charity, raising funds that were instead used to finance church operations and the lavish lifestyles of its leaders, according to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.
It is not known if the United States has sought the extradition of Quiboloy, aged at least 74, according to the FBI.
“This is a concerted effort of everyone involved,” Brigadier-General Nicolas Torre, the regional police chief who led the manhunt, told reporters at a news conference confirming the Quiboloy’s arrest.
“Let’s be proud. We did our job today.”
Police have been attempting to arrest Apollo Quiboloy, who claims to be the “Appointed Son of God”, in a raid on his sprawling church compound.
The Marcos administration deployed more than 2,000 police to search his sprawling church compound in the southern Davao City, on suspicion that he was hiding there in a bunker.
Philippine police spokesman Jean Fajardo said on Sunday that Quiboloy was captured on Sunday inside the compound.
“There is no special treatment,” Marcos told reporters on Monday. “We will not violate any of his rights and will not ignore any of his requests, whatever they are.
“We will demonstrate once again that our judicial system in the Philippines is active, vibrant and working,” the president added.
Quiboloy has rejected all charges against him but went into hiding after two courts issued arrest warrants against him in April.
In 2021, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) charged Mr Quiboloy with sex trafficking of children, fraud and coercion, and bulk cash smuggling.
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said he trafficked girls and women from the Philippines to the US, where they were forced to solicit money for a bogus charity.
He also required his female personal assistants, who are called “pastorals”, to have sex with him, the FBI said.
But as all this was happening, Mr Quiboloy was rising to national prominence under then-president Rodrigo Duterte, previously serving as spiritual adviser to the former leader.
However, his fortunes turned when Mr Duterte stepped down in June 2022.
Filipino authorities soon charged him with child abuse, sexual abuse and human trafficking and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
