The lead counsel of detained Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder Apollo Quiboloy has publicly rebuked Senator Risa Hontiveros for stating that the pastor “trafficked women and girls from around the world,” arguing that no court has convicted him and that the presumption of innocence still applies.
In an open message addressed to the senator, Atty. Israelito Torreon said Hontiveros’ assertion was “not merely an expression of opinion” but “a categorical conclusion of fact and law” that a sitting legislator should avoid. He stressed that Quiboloy has not been found guilty of human trafficking and remains entitled to due process and the presumption of innocence until a competent court renders a final judgment.
Torreon drew a distinction between accusing a person of a crime and declaring that the person committed it. Guilt, he said, must be established in court rather than through public pronouncements, adding that respect for the rights of the accused is an indispensable part of justice, not an obstacle to it.
The exchange followed Hontiveros’ statement welcoming the United States’ formal request to extradite Quiboloy. The senator, who chairs the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, said it was “about time” for the pastor to face charges in the U.S. and urged the Department of Justice to act “with dispatch” on the request. She led the 2024 Senate inquiry that heard testimonies from alleged victims within the KOJC.
The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed it received the U.S. extradition request and endorsed it to the DOJ, with Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel Romualdez saying the request was transmitted in July, according to reports by the Philippine STAR and the Philippine News Agency. Under Philippine law, extradition requires the approval of local courts before it can proceed.
Quiboloy has been detained since September 2024 over qualified human trafficking charges before a Pasig City court and separate child sexual abuse charges now handled by a Quezon City court. He has pleaded not guilty. In the United States, he was indicted by a federal grand jury in California on charges that include conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; sex trafficking of children; and bulk cash smuggling.
Torreon and other members of Quiboloy’s legal team have argued that extradition is premature while the pastor faces active cases in Philippine courts. Torreon earlier said the country retains discretion over whether to surrender Quiboloy, and that any move to do so could be contested up to the Supreme Court.
