Akbayan Party is urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to issue a hold departure order to Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, who is a wanted fugitive in the country, to ensure he does not evade accountability for his crimes.
Members of Akbayan, the political party of Senator Risa Hontiveros, submitted a letter-petition at the DOJ in Manila on Thursday, April 25.
TIGNAN: Naghain ng petisyon ang mga babaeng miyembro ng Akbayan para himukin ang @dojphofficial na maglabas ng Hold Departure Order laban kay Pastor Apollo Quiboloy. | RH 29 @boy_gonzales #SamaSamaTayoPilipino pic.twitter.com/dgWXUZ5tHm
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) April 25, 2024
"The party emphasized the urgency of this action in light of the Senate's directive to arrest Quiboloy pursuant to the contempt citation for his repeated non-compliance with its summons," it said in a press release.
For Akbayan President Rafaela David, the crimes of a religious pastor, a self-proclaimed appointed son of God, "cannot be allowed to slip through the cracks of justice any longer."
"The issuance of an HDO against Quiboloy is not only a legal obligation but also a moral imperative. By preventing his departure from the country, the DOJ would reaffirm its commitment to protecting women's spaces and ensuring the safety of all citizens from perpetrators of sexual violence like Quiboloy," David underscored.
"This action is crucial in ensuring that Quiboloy faces justice and that his victims receive the closure and healing they deserve," she continued.
Akbayan also bared plans to write another letter-petition to compel the justice department to cancel Quiboloy's passport in adherence to the Philippine Passport Act of 1996.
Quiboloy is facing qualified human trafficking and child abuse charges. He was last seen with former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in a gathering last March.
Hontiveros, the chairperson of the Senate committee that subpoenaed Quiboloy, earlier called on the Philippine National Police to revoke the latter's firearm license and his private army.
