Press Release - Opening statement of Senator Risa Hontiveros on Quiboloy hearing

Magandang umaga dear colleagues, I call this meeting to order.

There has been so much noise over the past few days.

Bakit nga ba pinapatawag ang isang makapangyarihang religious leader dito sa Senado? Korte ba ang Committee on Women para pag-usapan dito ang mga bintang laban kay Apollo Quiboloy? Sino ba itong si "Hontivirus" - Opo, medyo madami po nanaman ang tumatawag sa atin nito sa social media simula ng imbestigasyong ito - para ipatawag ang, para sa kanyang mga followers, "glorified Son of God"?

Ang sabi po ni Ginoong Quiboloy at ang kanyang mga tagapagsalita, nilabag natin ang karapatan niya sa due process. Sabi niya, sa proposed Senate resolution pa lang daw, pinagbintangan na daw siya ng kung ano ano. I wish to remind the Pastor, and those who speak for him, that written and oral reports of legislators in the course of our duties are protected speech and can be incendiary and provocative. Sabi nga ng Supreme Court sa kaso ng Osmena vs. Pendatun, "Its purpose is to enable and encourage a representative of the public to discharge his public trust with firmness and success for it is indispensably necessary that he should enjoy the fullest liberty of speech, and that he should be protected from the resentment of every one, however, powerful, to whom the exercise of that liberty may occasion offense."

Friends, hindi po pwede na basta-basta lang magsabi ng due process due process si Apollo Quiboloy ay hindi na siya haharap sa Senado. That is not the ruling in Neri vs. Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. That is not the ruling in Linconn Ong vs. Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. In both these cases, the individuals involved were present in at least one hearing. Humarap na sa Senado ang isang former President, ang isang sitting Senate President, ang madaming mga general. Just last Congress, humarap ang dalawang sitting Executive Secretary -- si Ginoong Vic Rodriguez, at current ES Justice Lucas Bersamin. Humarap na din ang religious leaders kung naalala po natin ang Pajero bishops, kaya wala po tayong pinag-uusapan na religious freedom dito. Like executive privilege, religious freedom cannot be invoked to evade liability.

Hindi po mapapakulong ng Senado si Quiboloy para