Pasig court issues arrest warrants vs Quiboloy, others

MANILA, Philippines — A regional trial court in Pasig City yesterday ordered the arrest of fugitive Apollo Quiboloy for the non-bailable offense of qualified human trafficking.

It is the second warrant issued against the Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader, who remains in hiding after a Davao City family court earlier issued an arrest warrant for child and sexual abuse charges.

Also ordered arrested were co-accused Jackielyn Roy, Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Ingrid Canada and Sylvia Cemanes.

In issuing the order, Pasig RTC Branch 159 Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa ruled to deny the motion of Quiboloy’s lawyers to defer or suspend the proceedings and to hold in abeyance the issuance of a warrant of arrest.

“This court, after personally examining the information and its supporting documents, finds probable cause for the arrest of all the accused. Let warrants of arrest be issued against them,” Montesa said in a three-page order.

Quiboloy’s camp sought the suspension of the criminal proceedings, citing a pending motion for reconsideration before the Office of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.

But the prosecution opposed the motion, arguing that Rule 116 of the Rules on Criminal Procedure only allows the suspension of arraignment based on the filing of a petition for review before the Department of Justice, and not a motion to reconsider a resolution for a petition for review.

“The court finds the Motion to Defer/Suspend Proceedings and Hold in Abeyance Issuance of Warrant of Arrest to be a prohibited motion and should therefore be denied,” Montesa said in the order.

Under the rules, the suspension of arraignment is only allowed on three grounds: the accused appears to be suffering from an unsound mental condition, there is a prejudicial question, and a petition for review of the resolution of the prosecutor is pending either at the justice department or at the Office of the President.

The Pasig court said “there is no basis” to suspend the criminal proceedings against Quiboloy as the filing of a motion for reconsideration on the resolution of petition for review is not among the grounds stated under the rules.

On the child abuse and sexual abuse in Davao