The House Committee on Justice is set to examine the report that the United States has requested for the extradition of televangelist Apollo Quiboloy.

This stems from Akbayan Party-list Rep. Percival “Perci” Cedaña’s appeal to delineate the Philippines’ process for receiving, reviewing, and acting on extradition requests.

“This inquiry will not only help ensure transparency, fairness, and adherence to our international obligations, but also allow Congress to determine whether remedial or supplemental legislation is necessary to strengthen the country’s extradition framework,” Cedaña said in a letter to committee chairperson Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro.

Luistro agreed, noting that the existing extradition law—ratified in 1977 as a treaty between the Philippines and the US—requires amendments, reported RH 12 Milky Rigonan.

The committee will tackle the following issues:

• Whether the US may request an extradition if the accused has pending cases in the Philippines
• The timeline of receiving, processing, and filing a petition for extradition through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Justice (DOJ), and the courts
• Which court should hear the request
• The rules for deciding between temporary and deferred surrender
• As well as the procedure should the accused be convicted by both Philippine and American courts.

After a two-week standoff between police and Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) church members in Davao City, head pastor Quiboloy was seized over charges of child abuse, sexual abuse, and human trafficking.

In the US, Quiboloy is wanted for Conspiracy to Engage in Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud and Coercion, and Sex Trafficking of Children; Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, and Coercion; Conspiracy; and Bulk Cash Smuggling.