Cartoon by Ariana Faith Par
Published by: Dianna Grace Carina
Date Published: April 15, 2024
Time Published: 10:28 AM
Being religious is an integral part of our culture in the Philippines—heavily influenced by traditions established by the Spaniards. That's why we have a Catholic church led by a priest, whereas in the Christian church, a pastor has the authority to lead religious services. But the question is, what happens if a pastor who is appointed as a "Son of God" commits a grave sin and refuses to admit and face the consequences of his crimes?
A controversial pastor, Apollo Quiboloy, a spiritual adviser accused of sexual abuse and suspicion of sexual trafficking, was summoned by Sen. Risa Hontiveros issued the subpoena to attend the hearing. However, Quiboloy still failed to attend despite all the invitations sent by the panel [1]. His actions show disrespect for both the institution and the alleged victims. Quiboloy should stop hiding, delaying, impending, and obstructing the investigation into multiple reported cases of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC). He should start accepting responsibility for his actions and start admitting his crimes.
Apparently, Apollo Quiboloy is a fugitive in the United States. He was charged with suspicion of sex trafficking to girls as young as 12 years old. Hontiveros said she had heard ''hair-raising allegations'' from testimonies by Quiboloy's alleged victims and if he snubs another hearing, the senate will make a ruling based on his testimonies, meaning that he will not be able to ignore the future summons issued by Sen. Hontiveros [2].
With this, ignoring the subpoena will not benefit him— instead, it will only increase suspicion, tarnishing his name and reputation even more. Quiboloy's actions only prove that he is not innocent and that he is guilty of something. Just because he knows someone and he has a connection in politics, it doesn’t mean that he will be absolved of his crimes. Delaying the process will only make the victims suffer. People should obey the law, regardless of their gender, past, or status in life. Law is law and it must constantly be justified.
REFERENCES:
[1] Cayabyab, M. J. (2024, January 23). Senate summons Quiboloy. Philstar.com.https://www.philstar.com/.../2328117/senate-summons-quiboloy
[2] BenarNews staff. (2024, January 22). Philippine Senate summons Duterte spiritual adviser accused of sexual abuse, trafficking. Benar News.https://www.benarnews.org/.../adviser-accused
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