The camp of embattled Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) controversial leader Apollo Quiboloy expressed confidence that they may challenge the arrest order issued by the Senate before the Supreme Court.
In a statement, Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, one of Quiboloy's counsels, said that through the judicial proceedings their client "will be vindicated, and his good name finally cleared."
"We now place full reliance on the Judiciary as the final nation of the people's rights, confident that the rights of an innocent man such as Pastor Quiboloy will be vindicated, and his good name finally cleared," Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, one of Quiboloy's counsels, said in a statement.
In an interview with another media outlet, Elvis Balayan, another counsel of Quiboloy echoed the same statement, saying that the judiciary could "interpret the constitutional limitations on the power of Congress to conduct investigations."
Balayan also confirmed that they will file a case over Quiboloy's arrest order.
"Yes, that's part of the process allowed under existing laws and that is a very big possibility that we will elevate the matter before the appropriate courts," he said. "It could be before the Supreme Court."
On Tuesday, the Senate formally issued an arrest order against Quiboloy for “unduly refusing to appear, despite due notices" at the hearings of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality.
The order comes a day after Senator Risa Hontiveros, the chairman of the committee that leads the investigation against the KOJC leader, said that the Senate panel found that Quiboloy's response to the Senate's show cause order is "nowhere near satisfactory."
And while they respect the decision of the Senate to issue an arrest order, Balayan maintained that Quiboloy would "exert all available legal remedies to protect his constitutional rights."
