Home NATIONWIDE Quiboloy walang lusot sa Senate subpoena – Carpio

Quiboloy walang lusot sa Senate subpoena – Carpio

MANILA, Philippines- Walang pagpipilian si Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy kundi humarap sa Senado kasunod ng paglalabas ng subpoena laban sa kanya sa gitna ng imbestigasyon sa mga kasong umano’y large-scale human trafficking at child abuse sa kanyang religious group, ayon kay retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio.

Inihayag ni Carpio na dapat humarap si Quiboloy sa Senate Committee at maaari lamang igiit ang kanyang right against self-incrimination kung tatanungin siya ng incriminating question.

“All those subpoenaed by the Senate or its Committees in aid of legislation have no choice but to appear before the Senate or its Committees,” sabi ng dating top Supreme Court magistrate.

“They may raise the right against self-incrimination, and refuse to answer the incriminating question, only after the question is asked. Before an incriminating question is asked by the Senate or its Committees, there is no constitutional right that may be violated,” patuloy niya.

Giit pa ng dating SC official: “[T]he unremitting obligation of every citizen is to respond to subpoena, to respect the dignity of the Congress and its Committees, and to testify fully with respect to matters within the realm of proper investigation.”

Bago patawan si Quiboloy ng contempt, inilahad ni Senator Risa Hontiveros, nangunguna sa imbestigasyon laban sa KOJC leader, ang isang liham na may petsang February 28, na ipinadala ng abogado ni Quiboloy na si Melanio Balayan para sa kanya at kay Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri.

Batay sa liham ni Balayan, ang pagpapalabas at pagpapairal ng subpoena “is in wanton violation of the fundamental and sacred constitutional rights” ni Quiboloy laban sa self-incrimination at sa pagturing na inosente hangga’t hindi napatutunayang nagkasala.

“With the criminal charges against him being tried virtually in public through the [S]enate committee and all available media, our Client is now being humiliated, ridiculed, harassed and maligned at all media fronts with reckless abandon as if he was already a convict. The essence of due process of law—that hears before it condemns—is being rendered useless under the present circumstances. We thus invoke our Client’s right against further incrimination by recusing himself from the ongoing investigation,” saad sa sulat.

Noong March 19, opisyal na ipinalabas ng Senado ang arrest order laban kay Quiboloy “for unduly refusing to appear, despite due notices” sa mga pagdinig ng Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality.

Sa parehong araw, inanunsyo ng Department of Justice (DOJ) na naghain na ng child abuse at human trafficking charges laban kay Quiboloy at lima pa.

Nananatiling wanted si Quiboloy sa Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at pinaniniwalaang nasa Pilipinas. RNT/SA