DSWD vows to protect victims of trafficking

MANILA, Philippines — Amid the ongoing manhunt for fugitive pastor Apollo Quiboloy, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said it is committed to protecting victims of abuse and human trafficking, especially minors.

“We cannot stay silent in the face of the serious charges against Quiboloy,” the DSWD said yesterday. “Allegations of human trafficking, sexual exploitation and abuse of minors strike at the very core of what we stand for: protecting those who cannot protect themselves.”

Public figures siding with Quiboloy are downplaying the religious leader’s alleged crimes, the DSWD noted.

“It is 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,” the DSWD said.

Vice President Sara Duterte and former president Rodrigo Duterte earlier condemned the police raid of Quiboloy’s Kingdom of Jesus Christ compound in Davao City over the weekend.

The Duterte family has ties with Quiboloy, who is the patriarch’s friend and spiritual adviser.

“We stand firmly with President Marcos in his commitment to creating a better future for every Filipino child, where no one is left behind or left to suffer alone,” the DSWD said.