Televangelist Apollo Quiboloy faces accusations of taking OFW salaries as donations
Senator Risa Hontiveros has called for televangelist Apollo Quiboloy to be held accountable for allegedly taking the salaries of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as donations to himself and his religious group, Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC). Aside from the existing allegations of human trafficking and sexual abuses against Quiboloy, Hontiveros asserts that he should also answer for the accusations of forcibly taking OFW salaries.
Hontiveros, who chairs the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality, is leading an investigation into the alleged abuses committed by Quiboloy. She has urged her colleagues in the Senate to listen to the testimonies of the purported victims of Quiboloy.
During a recent hearing, Hontiveros presented Reynita Fernandez, an OFW based in Singapore, who disclosed that she and other domestic workers were pressured to give 90 percent of their salaries to Quiboloy.
The senator emphasized the importance of protecting OFWs from individuals like Quiboloy and called on the Senate to provide justice to the victims. Despite facing multiple accusations, Quiboloy has failed to appear before the Senate hearings, invoking his right against self-incrimination.
The Department of Justice has ordered the filing of sexual abuse and human trafficking cases against Quiboloy, alongside placing an immigration lookout bulletin against him. Various groups in the Philippines are also urging Senate support for the investigation into Quiboloy’s alleged crimes, particularly in relation to sex trafficking.
