The arrest of Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy cannot be considered a voluntary surrender, according to his legal counsel.
In an interview with Bombo Radyo Cauayan, former IBP President Atty. Domingo “Egon” Cayosa explained that Quiboloy was compelled to surrender due to the lack of other options.
Cayosa added that Quiboloy’s legal team only portrayed it as a voluntary surrender to potentially reduce his sentence.
However, it was clarified that authorities still managed to arrest Quiboloy after several weeks of serving a warrant. For it to be considered a voluntary surrender, Quiboloy would have needed to surrender without law enforcement exerting effort to locate him.
Meanwhile, the country’s justice system faces the challenge of addressing the multiple cases against Quiboloy.
Atty. Cayosa noted that Quiboloy is also facing charges in the United States, and the government must ensure that his trial in the Philippines is completed before any extradition to the U.S.
Cayosa emphasized that the justice system in the Philippines is notoriously slow, and it is important to demonstrate to both the public and the international community that it functions properly and efficiently.