Content warning: This articles discusses sexual abuse.
Apollo Quiboloy, founder of Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name (KJC) has been charged with allegedly coercing girls and young women to have sex with him as part of a sex trafficking operation, U.S. prosecutors announced today, Nov. 19.
Apart from his infamous self-proclaimed title “Appointed Son of God,” Quiboloy is also known for being a close friend and spiritual adviser to President Rodrigo Duterte. Some voters can’t help but wonder whether Quiboloy’s indictment could affect Duterte’s credibility and upcoming senatorial candidacy.
The 74-page indictment charges Quiboloy and other church officials, including two U.S.-based church administrators, with running a sex trafficking operation that threatened victims as young as 12 with “eternal damnation” and physical abuse.
According to the indictment, Quiboloy and two other defendants allegedly recruited females aged 12 to 25 as personal assistants, or “pastorals.” They were allegedly required to prepare Quiboloy’s meals, clean his residences, give him massages, and have sex with him as their “night duty.”
Nine defendants were also alleged to have participated in a scheme that had church members brought to the United States using fraudulently obtained visas and were forced to solicit donations for a bogus children’s charity. These donations were then used to pay for its church leaders’ “lavish lifestyles.”
Quiboloy faced rape, child abuse, and human trafficking allegations in 2019. The filed complaints were then dismissed by the Davao City Prosecutor’s Office in 2020. When asked about Malacañang’s stance on the allegations, then presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said, “First, I don’t know about it. Second, that should be a private matter involving the pastor. We will not intrude into that private domain.”
While the country has long since separated the Church and State, religious leaders are still highly influential during elections. And with Quiboloy as one of his backers, President and senatorial aspirant Duterte may have a number of personal reasons for not wanting to condemn his adviser’s alleged actions.
Duterte has been a very loud critic against sexual abuse by Catholic leaders. He has alleged that he suffered sexual abuse at the hands of a Catholic priest as a teen. However, Duterte has his fair share of sexist statements which include rape jokes and other encouragements to commit sexual violence passed off as humor.
Quiboloy is the type of man that Duterte has chosen to closely associate himself with. While we can’t blame Duterte for another man’s actions, this gives us more reason to examine whether his own values align with ours. As we await Duterte’s response, we reflect on how committed we are to fight against all forms of sexual abuse and holding people accountable for the harm they cause—even if it could come at the cost of cutting ties with people we know.
Photo courtesy of the Presidential Communications Operations Office
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