US seeks extradition of Apollo Quiboloy

The United States has formally requested the extradition of alleged trafficker and Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.

According to local reports, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel "Babe" Romualdez said that the foreign government sent the official extradition documents for Quiboloy to the Department of Justice in June and is "being followed up on now." 

However, the DOJ officials told reporters there is "no information" yet on the said US request.

To be extradited means that when a person wanted for a crime in another country is found in the Philippines, the DOJ is in charge of handling the formal process of sending them back.

Under the Presidential Decree No. 1069, the Philippines can only grant an extradition request if it has an existing treaty with the other country. The request must be sent from that country's diplomat to the Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs.

The controversial pastor, who calls himself the "Appointed Son of God," has been on the US Federal Bureau of Investigation's most-wanted list since February 2022.

Quiboloy and his church have previously been probed for human trafficking investigations for years. He was apprehended in September last year after going into hiding and sparking a two-week manhunt.

Apart from the qualified human trafficking charge, he is also facing cases for violating Republic Act 7610, or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act.

In July, a Pasig court junked the bail request of Quiboloy and his co-accused—Sylvia Cemañes, Paulene Canada, Jackielyn Roy, Cresente Canada, and Ingrid Canada—amid their qualified human trafficking cases. 

In a resolution issued on July 20, the Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 159 found that the evidence gathered presented a great presumption of guilt.

The resolution also enumerated the different acts that were allegedly committed by Quiboloy and his co-accused that constitute elements of qualified human trafficking.

Quiboloy allegedly convinced a victim to be a full-time miracle worker and subjected them to sexual exploitation. The others allegedly assisted in the affair by facilitating the conditions that enabled the abuse, among others.