MANILA, Philippines – Addressing fellow senators who called for the reversal of a Senate contempt order against Apollo Quiboloy, Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros urged them to set aside their friendship with the doomsday preacher, and encourage him to face allegations of sexual abuse and other human rights abuses.

“Maninidigan po tayo. Hindi ko po tinatanggal kanino man ang maging kaibigan o tumanaw ng kabaitan ‘nya sa pamilya. Pero kahit kaibigan natin, kahit naging mabait sa pamilya natin, kapag ang akusasyon sa kanya ay pang gagahasa, pang aabuso sa bata, panlilinlang, di ba’t ang tama nating gawin bilang Senado ay paharapin ‘yung tao na yun sa komite,” Hontiveros said on Monday, March 11.

(Let’s be firm. I’m not taking away from you your friendship or appreciate his being good to your family. But, even if you’re friends with him, even if he’s nice to your family, when the accusation is about rape, child abuse, and deceiving, the right thing to do, as the Senate, is to encourage him to face the committee.)

Four senators have signed an objection letter that seeks to reverse a Senate panel’s decision to hold the embattled Quiboloy in contempt for not showing up during its continuing investigation into the alleged abuses committed against former workers of the Davao-based religious group Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Members of the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality who have objected to the contempt order against embattled preacher Apollo Quiboloy are down to four after Senator JV Ejercito withdrew his signature late Thursday afternoon, March 7.

Senate… pic.twitter.com/OFdU47K3Cy

— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) March 7, 2024

Hontiveros said that as of Monday, no other senators have signed the objection letter to stop Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri from ordering Quiboloy’s arrest so the preacher could be brought to testify before the committee chaired by the opposition senator.

Eight signatories that constitute the majority in the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality, are required to overturn the March 5 ruling of Hontiveros to cite Quiboloy in contempt.

Senator Cynthia Villar said she signed the petition because Quiboloy is her friend. “Kaibigan ko si Pastor Quiboloy. Mabait siya sa aming pamilya at nagtataka ako dyan sa case na yan, kaya medyo hindi ako masyadong naniniwala dyan sa case na yan,” she said.

(Pastor Quiboloy is a friend. He is nice to our family and that’s why I’m doubtful of the cases against him. That’s why, somehow, I don’t believe them.)

The Senate committee on women has one more day to convince other senators to uphold the contempt order.

“Patuloy akong nananawagan na manaig ang paninindigan kasama ng mga kabaro at menor de edad na walang taong mas mataas sa batas,” Hontiveros said.

(I’m continuously urging my colleagues to stand firm for those who were abused that no man is above the law.) – Rappler.com