Apollo Quiboloy
听Updated on February 19, 2024, at 10:52 a.m.
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� The subpoena issued on religious leader Apollo Quiboloy, who was accused of sexual offenses, is now out.
The office of Sen. Risa Hontiveros confirmed to reporters on Monday that Senate President Juan Miguel Zubri had signed the subpoena against Quiboloy.
鈥淵es, the subpoena order against Apollo Quiboloy is out. No matter how loud the noise of politics is, the voice of justice remains the loudest,鈥� Hontiveros said, speaking partly in Filipino, in her opening statement during her panel hearing on the alleged crimes of Quiboloy.
鈥淎s the chairman of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, I will not allow the courage and strength gathered by the victim-survivors to be sidelined just to prioritize political squabbles,鈥� she added.
WATCH: LIVESTREAM: Senate resumes probe on alleged offenses of Apollo Quiboloy, church
READ:听Hontiveros warns Quiboloy鈥檚 followers: Don鈥檛 deceive Senate
READ:听Catholic bishops urge Quiboloy to yield to authorities
In the same statement, Hontiveros thanked Zubiri for signing the subpoena.
According to Hontiveros, her office has adopted a policy that puts the voices of women and children first. She said she was glad that the Senate, under the current leadership, had made the same policy, too.
Hontiveros earlier stressed the need to summon Quiboloy to the upper chamber鈥檚 probe on his and his church鈥檚 alleged crimes.
According to her, the Senate, under Zubiri鈥檚 leadership and the leadership of past Senate presidents, consistently issued subpoenas against resource persons who failed, without justifiable reason, to attend its inquiries.
She added that her office also received 鈥渃redible evidence of threats鈥� on the lives of former Kingdom of Jesus Christ members who had earlier testified against Quiboloy.
The opposition senator believes these 鈥渃onstitute obstruction of a legitimate Senate inquiry鈥� and lend urgency to the call to subpoena Quiboloy.