Hontiveros: Quiboloy should answer to exploited OFWs

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Sunday said that Apollo Quiboloy, who stands accused of rape, human trafficking, sexual violence, and child abuse, should now also answer to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) whose salaries were forcibly taken as donations for himself and his religious group, Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC).

During the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality hearing, the senator presented Reynita Fernandez, an OFW based in Singapore, who divulged that she and other domestic workers were pressured and harassed into giving 90% of their salaries to Quiboloy.

"Araw-gabi kumayod ang mga OFW, tapos imbes na mapunta sa pamilya nila ang pinagtrabahuan nila, pilit silang hinuhuthutan ni Quiboloy. Di na nga nakukuha ang sweldo nila, pinagbebenta pa sila ng kung ano-ano para lang maka pagremit, hindi sa kanilang pamilya kundi sa Kingdom," Hontiveros said.

"Si Reynita, nawalan ng bahay, dahil sa kakabigay ng buong salary niya, at sigurado hindi lang siya ang OFW na nabiktima. We call our OFWs our modern-day heroes, yet we are failing to protect them from fraudsters like Quiboloy. Sana magkaisa ang Senado para mabigyan ang ating mga kababayan ng hustisya," the senator added.

Hontiveros has cited the KOJC leader in contempt because of failing to show up even after a subpoena was issued. However, Quiboloy's counsel, through a letter, said that his client refuses to honor the subpoena as he is invoking his right against self-incrimination.

"The invocation of the right against self-incrimination must be made by a witness actually present and on a per question basis. This has been settled by the Supreme Court. Sa madaling salita, kailangan niya parin magpakita sa Senado. Ang bibigat na ng mga paratang sa kanya, pero hindi parin siya nagpapakita. Why is he hiding? Why is he so afraid? Takot ba siyang hindi niya madepensahan ng maayos ang mga inaakusa sa kanya?" Hontiveros asked.

"More and more victim-survivors have reached out to my office to share the horrific abuses they experienced as members of KOJC. I call on my colleagues in the Senate to actually listen to these victim-survivors. Sigurado ako na kapag mapakinggan nila ang mga karanasan ng mga dating miyembro ni Quiboloy, walang mag-aatubiling manindigan para sa katarungan," the senator concluded.