By Artchil B. Fernandez
A new frontier was opened in the “cocaine-fentanyl war” currently raging between House Duterte and House Marcos. They are now waging a battle over the “son” of God.
Self-proclaimed or self-appointed “son” of God pastor Apollo Quiboloy, founder of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) religious group is now the center of the on-going conflict between former allies in the UniTeam. Quiboloy and his KJC are under investigation by the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality headed by Sen. Risa Hontiveros for allegations of human trafficking, sexual abuse, violence, and related misconduct.
Former KOJC members have testified on the alleged abuses of Quiboloy and his church associates before Senate since it started the hearings on January 23, 2024. It is now the turn of Quiboloy to explain his side. He did not show up in previous hearings, ignoring Senate invitation. This forced the Senate to subpoena Quiboloy to a hearing next week (March 5, 2024). Should he fail to attend, the Senate is threatening to cite Quiboloy in contempt and may order his arrest.
Quiboloy is defiant. He branded the current Senate investigation as “bogus.” He challenged his accusers to file a case in court against him instead. “Go to court and file a case against me,” he boldly declared. “ I will answer you there because it would have fair play. You already convicted me in your hearing; that’s wrong. I will not subject myself to unfair statements. I will not subject myself to injustices done under the cloak of a Senate hearing. But I will face you on one condition: I will face any of you even though you have 100 witnesses or pay 100 witnesses. I will face you anywhere, anytime in a court of law,” Quiboloy dared.
Next week is the climax of this high drama. Will Quiboloy bend the knee to the Senate or remain defiant? Will the Senate order Quiboloy’s arrest should he defy its authority? The looming showdown is another testy confrontation between Team Agila (Duterte camp) and Team Tigre (Marcos camp).
Pastor Quiboloy is Du30’s spiritual adviser and is a staunch supporter of the Dutertes. Team Agila believes the on-going investigation against Quiboloy is part of the all-out offensive of Team Tigre to cripple the group. Quiboloy’s media group Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) until recently served as the media mouthpiece of Team Agila and the Dutertes. Team Tigre moved to gag SMNI.
Late last year, SMNI faced House probe for accusations of spreading fake news. SMNI is notorious in red-tagging and is accused of spreading misinformation and disinformation. It behaves more like a propaganda outlet than a legitimate news service. Upon the request of the House the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) suspended the operation of SMNI. This deprived the Dutertes and Team Agila of a major communication channel to air their views.
Now Team Tigre is after the Supremo, Apollo Quiboloy. The battle over Quiboloy is another proxy war between Team Agila and Team Tigre. The principal actors of both sides have stated their position on the matter.
Du30 advised his spiritual adviser to get himself arrested. “Just get yourself arrested,” Du30 told his friend. “This is a free country. If you (Quiboloy) don’t want to go there (to the Senate), then get yourself arrested. I will give him the free choice,” he further advised. Du30 dismissed the allegations against Quiboloy as “minor” cases.
Bongbong Marcos (BBM) on the other hand urged Quiboloy to face the music and submit to the authority of the Senate. “He has an opportunity in the hearings both in the House and in the Senate to say his side of the story. If he says, ‘all of that is not true, it is not true,’ nothing will happen there, then he should say it.” BBM then advised Quiboloy to attend congressional hearings. “If he does not show up, he might be held in contempt. Then, it will just go on. Oh my. That is a bigger problem. If he gets to come, answer all the questions, and it is done. That’s why I advise him to face the questioning in the House and Senate.”
The lines are drawn. The confrontation is headed to a climactic end. Who will blink? What is the outcome in this frontier of “cocaine-fentanyl war?”
Quiboloy’s world is getting smaller. In 2021, he was indicted by a federal grand jury in a US District Court in Santa Ana, California along with eight associates. They are facing the following charges: sex trafficking by force; fraud and coercion; sex trafficking of children; marriage fraud; fraud and misuse of visas; bulk cash smuggling; promotional money laundering; concealment money laundering; and international promotional money laundering. Arrest warrants were issued against them.
It is plainly clear the cases against Quiboloy are being used by Team Tigre to get the Dutertes and Team Agila. In one of the Senate hearings on Quiboloy’s alleged crimes, a former KJC landscaper at Quiboloy’s Glory Mountain and alleged witness-survivor to the pastor’s supposed crimes – claimed that he saw the Dutertes visit the property and carry a bag of firearms as they left. Both Du30 and daughter Sara Duterte denied they received guns from the controversial preacher. “Why would Pastor give me guns? Where would he get them? If he tells me that he has no gun, I will give him,” Du30 sarcastically responded to the accusation.
It appears the conflict between House Duterte and House Marcos has taken a “divine” turn as they fight over someone who appointed himself as the “son” of God. Whether in secular or sacral sphere, it seems the war has exciting twists.
