Court allows Quiboloy, companions to attend Senate committee hearing
by Joel R. San Juan, https://www.facebook.com/, https://www.facebook.com/BusinessMirror/ · BusinessMirror- Joel R. San Juan
- October 22, 2024
- 2 minute read
THE Regional Trial Court in Pasig City has granted the request of Sen. Anna Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros to allow detained Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder Apollo Quiboloy to attend the Senate committee on women’s hearing on October 23.
In a four-page order, acting Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa of Branch 159 of the RTC in Pasig also ordered Quiboloy’s co-accused in the qualified human trafficking, child abuse and sexual abuse cases to appear before Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality chaired by Hontiveros.
Quiboloy and his co-accused had earlier opposed Hontiveros request, invoking his constitutional right against self-incrimination and presumption of innocence.
They also argued that the matters subject of the committee hearing are already justiciable issues subject of court proceedings.
They added that compelling them to appear before the Senate for separate questioning while the case is ongoing is a “legislative overreach.”
The trial court, however, adopted the Supreme Court’s ruling in Standard Chartered Bank v Senate Committee on Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies denying the accused’s opposition.
In the said case, the Court held that “the mere filing of a criminal or an administrative complaint before a court or a quasi-judicial body should not automatically bar the conduct of legislative investigation.”
On the right of the accused against self-incrimination, the trial court noted that the SC held in “Sabio case” that the said right may be invoked “only when an incriminating question is being asked, since they have no way of knowing in advance the nature or effect of the questions to be asked of them.”
“Wherefore, viewed from the foregoing, the letter-request to allow the appearance of the accused before the public hearing of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality on October 23, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. is hereby granted,” the order read.
Estacio-Montesa directed the chief of the National Police Custodial Center and the jail warden of the Pasig City jail to bring the accused before the committee and “observe maximum security measures to ensure the safety and security of all the accused.”
Quiboloy is currently detained at the National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City, while his co-accused namely Jackielyn Roy, Cresente Canada alias Enteng, Paulene Canada, Ingrid Canada and Sylvia Cemañes are detained at the Pasig City Jail under the supervision of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
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Joel R. San Juan
A UST journalism graduate, has been working as a reporter for more than 20 years.
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