The camp of controversial Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy presented on Friday a "legal justification" as to why he should not be arrested by the Senate.
This comes after the Senate Committee on Women and Children on Tuesday, March 12, gave Quiboloy a non-extendible period of 48 hours to explain why he "should not be ordered arrested and detained at the Office of the Sergeant-At-Arms."
In a 19-page compliance and legal justification document submitted to the Senate, Quiboloy, through his lawyer, Attorney Melanio Elvis Balayan, responded to Senator Risa Hontiveros' show cause order.
There are three reasons why he should not be arrested by the Senate, according to Quiboloy's camp.
"The ongoing Senate investigation compelling the appearance of Quiboloy to testify over his alleged commission of grave crimes is not in aid of legislation but is tantamount to the usurpation of judicial functions beyond the powers of the Senate,” the statement read.
Balayan also said that the proposed Senate Resolution 884 is "brazenly discriminatory."
"P.S. Resolution No. 884 is brazenly incriminatory as it categorically declares the guilt of Pastor Quiboloy for crimes being attributed to him, totally disregarding the constitutional presumption of innocence until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.”
He added that the refusal of Quiboloy to appear “is not a sign of disrespect to the honorable Senate nor a disregard of its powers and functions but is purely based on the fact that the criminal accusations against him can only be legitimately settled before the competent courts.”
The KOJC leader repeatedly snubbed the Senate Committee on Women invitations for hearings on January 23, February 19, and March 5, to tackle reported crimes involving his religious group urging Hontiveros to cite him for contempt.
Currently, Quiboloy is facing charges of qualified trafficking and child abuse filed by the Department of Justice.
