Quiboloy to seek Senate seat as independent bet

FILE: Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy (in black Agila cap) presented to the media in Camp Crame, Quezon City on Monday (Sept. 9, 2024). (PNA Photo by Joan Bondoc)

By Ferdinand Patinio, Lloyd Caliwan, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – Detained Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader and suspected sex trafficker Apollo Quiboloy will run as an independent candidate for senator in the May 2025 midterm elections.

In a letter addressed to Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairperson George Erwin Garcia, Quiboloy canceled his Certificate of Nomination issued by the Workers’ and Peasants’ Party (WPP), signed by his lawyer and party president Mark Tolentino.

Garcia’s office received Quiboloy’s letter on Monday afternoon.

The religious leader filed his Certificate of Candidacy (COC) for the May 2025 polls through Tolentino at The Manila Hotel Tent City on Oct. 8.

“To avoid any problems, such as an intra-party dispute, to which Pastor Quiboloy doesn’t want to get involved, he just opted to revoke his acceptance of the Certificate of Nomination issued by the WPP,” Tolentino said in an interview with reporters.

Quiboloy’s Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance (CONA) was questioned by WPP president Jose Sonny Matula through a petition filed before the Comelec.

He said the CONA was submitted without the authority of the WPP.

Still, the poll body included Quiboloy in the initial list of senatorial aspirants.

“We will still support Pastor Quiboloy and his advocacies. We are part of the team of Pastor Quiboloy,” Tolentino said.

He added that there are other political parties that are looking to adopt Quiboloy as a candidate.

He did not name the parties since “everything is still under consideration.

Garcia, meanwhile, said Quibioloy’s move would not affect his candidacy.

“The Comelec claw department and en banc will stand firm on his classification as a legitimate candidate. Simply because there is no final and executory decision concerning his cases,” he said at the press conference after the ceremonial signing of the pledge of support of technology companies in the 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE) and Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE) at the poll body’s main office in Intramuros Manila.

At the same time, Garcia noted that they have to resolve the rift within the party.

“Who among the groups should prevail without affecting the candidacy of their chosen candidates? Our determination is based not on membership to the party. We base it on the appreciation of the background of a person. There are a lot of things to consider in determining  whether one is a legitimate candidate or not,” he added.

The poll body chief, however, said petitions against a candidate are a “different matter altogether”.

Meanwhile, social media platforms such as Meta (Facebook, Instagram and Thread) Google (Google and YouTube), and TikTok have pledged to support the Comelec in its fight against misinformation, among others, in connection to next year’s polls.

Peachy Paderna, public policy manager of TikTok Philippines said their company is not allowing paid political advertisements.

Meanwhile, Meta public policy manager Nixon David said their platforms would “identify and stop emerging threats and limit the spread of misinformation.”

Google Philippines Government Affairs and Public Policy Head Yves Gonzalez said the company is “committed to combating the spread of misinformation, which can undermine trust in the electoral process.”

At the same time, based on poll body data, a total 62 candidates have so far registered their social media accounts with the Comelec.

The poll body earlier required all candidates and political parties who have social media accounts to register with its Education and Information Department for monitoring.

The Philippine National Police said Quiboloy would remain at Camp Crame’s Custodial Center in Quezon City since there is no order for his transfer to the custody of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology despite a Pasig lower court’s denial of a motion by the pastor’s camp for a house or hospital arrest.

Qubiloy’s four co-accused in the non-bailable human trafficking case were moved to the Pasig City Jail last month.

They are also facing charges of child sexual abuse before a Quezon City court.