Fugitive Filipino Pastor Apollo Quiboloy Captured After Intense Standoff
Apollo Quiboloy, a prominent Filipino pastor and leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), has been arrested in the Philippines after a tense two-week standoff with police. Quiboloy, who claims to be the “Appointed Son of God,” faces serious charges of child sex trafficking, fraud, and coercion from both the US and Philippine authorities.
The standoff unfolded at Quiboloy’s expansive 30-hectare church compound in Davao, where violent clashes erupted between his followers and anti-riot police. One church member reportedly died of a heart attack amid the chaos.
Quiboloy, who had previously enjoyed political connections under former President Rodrigo Duterte, has been accused by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) of trafficking girls and women to the US for exploitation and forcing his female assistants into sexual servitude. The DOJ also charged him with fraud and bulk cash smuggling.
Filipino authorities had issued an arrest warrant for Quiboloy following similar allegations of child abuse and human trafficking after Duterte’s presidency ended in June 2022. The FBI had been pursuing him for months prior, but his arrest only came after intense efforts by local police.
The arrest occurred after a significant breakthrough provided by witnesses, leading authorities to locate Quiboloy hiding in a Bible school within the KOJC compound. Contrary to earlier reports of a “peaceful surrender,” police confirmed that Quiboloy was apprehended in a covert operation.
Currently, Quiboloy and four associates are detained at the national police headquarters in Manila. Despite his claims that his legal troubles are a result of demonic forces and his refusal to let the FBI “meddle,” the Philippine government has yet to consider extraditing him to the US.
The arrest comes amid a political rift between the Marcos and Duterte families, with the pursuit of Quiboloy intensifying only after Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assumed the presidency. Former President Duterte, who had previously shielded Quiboloy, declined to reveal his location while he was in hiding.
Quiboloy, who founded KOJC in 1985 and boasts a following of seven million, has built his influence through political endorsements and a prominent media presence. His sermons, broadcasted globally from his luxurious estate, will now face increased scrutiny following his arrest.
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