DSWD slams Quiboloy

📷DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian

The Department of Social Work and Development (DSWD) has called on Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy to abide by the rule of law and yield rather than let his followers resist the service of an arrest warrant issued by a Davao City court against him for human trafficking, sexual exploitation and abuse of minors.

In a statement, Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the department cannot remain silent in the face of the serious charges levelled against Quiboloy by prosecutors who found prima facie evidence to accuse him of serious violations of children’s rights and other breaches of the law under the Revised Penal Code.

The DSWD is mandated by law to protect those who cannot protect themselves, defend the defenseless and support those who have less in life to secure more in law. Quiboloy must face squarely all the allegations thrown at him and by refusing to surrender, he is only fueling suspicions that he cannot refute those charges in a court of law. By not respecting court processes, Quiboloy shows he has become irrational and would rather engage in a prolonged confrontation rather than come out in the open and disprove the allegations for which he was indicted.

Gatchalian noted that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. himself has expressed deep concern for children who have been subjected to exploitation, sexually abused and compelled to work for “religious” and “charitable” causes for long hours without compensation. It pains him to see the innocent suffer in silence, their rights trampled upon. The DSWD is mandated to protect innocent children and ensure than those who have been exploited will have justice, whether their abusers are ordinary citizens or religious leaders who are obliged by their faith to be morally upright, decent and beholden to the law.

“It is particularly painful when public figures, who should be champions of justice and defenders of the vulnerable, seem to downplay these horrific acts or align themselves with those accused of such egregious crimes. We must never forget that behind every case are real children, real mothers, and real families who are suffering.

The DSWD stands with these victims. We are committed to ensuring that they receive the justice they deserve and that their voices are heard. We call on all leaders to stand with us in protecting the rights of every Filipino child and to support the judicial processes that are in place to bring perpetrators to justice,” Gatchalian declared.

“The DSWD calls on all leaders and citizens to support the legal processes that seek to protect the innocent and bring perpetrators to justice. We stand firmly with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in his commitment to creating a better future for every Filipino child, where no one is left behind or left to suffer alone,” he concluded.

As of Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, several members of Quiboloy’s congregation, Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), were reported to have been hurt as hundreds of policemen entered the 30-hectare KOJC compound in Davao City. A 51-year-old-man reportedly suffered a fatal heart attack at the compound watchtower on Saturday as the police started a search at the premises.

Rather than urge Quiboloy to yield, Vice President Sara Zimmerman Duterte Carpio criticized the police operation as a form of “political harassment,” blaming Brig. Gen. Nicanor Torre for the clash between the police and KJOC members and employees. She talked on “overkill” and abuse of power as the police continued to search the KJOC compound using ground radar since the religious cult leader is said to be hiding in a bunker. Torre vowed not to leave until he has found the elusive Quiboloy, who calls himself the “Adopted Son of God” and “Owner of the Universe.”