Palace: PH to respect FBI raid on Quiboloy church
Credit to Author: Catherine S. Valente, TMT| Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2020 16:17:16 +0000
Malacañang on Thursday said the Philippines would respect the decision of the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to raid the church of evangelist Apollo Quiboloy in Los Angeles, California over human trafficking allegations.
Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said despite the friendship between President Rodrigo Duterte and Quiboloy, rule of law should prevail.
“If the raid is legitimate, then we cannot complain on that,” he said during a press briefing.
“You must remember that if a crime is committed in any country, then the laws of that country will have to be followed. We have to respect them the way we ask them to respect ours,” Panelo added.
The FBI raid led to the arrest of three church administrators, who allegedly trafficked followers as part of a six-year fundraising scam.
Immigrants who escaped from the church reportedly told federal agents they had been sent across the United States to solicit donations year-round for the church’s charity, and were physically and psychologically abused if they did not meet the quota.
The money raised for the Children’s Joy Foundation USA was supposed to benefit poor people, but the workers, in the complaint, said most of the money was used to finance the operations of the church and the luxurious lifestyle of Quiboloy.
Quiboloy — who proclaimed himself as the “Appointed Son of God” — has been friends with Duterte for more than 30 years.
The pastor previously said his friendship with the President goes way back to when his congregation was just starting out.
He admitted giving properties, a house and a vehicle to Duterte. He also lent choppers and other aircraft to Duterte during his 2016 presidential campaign.
In October last year, the pastor claimed he stopped a major earthquake in Mindanao.
Quiboloy’s church claims to have 6 million followers all over the world.