THE fugitive preacher Apollo Quiboloy, wanted for abuse of children and human trafficking, still has several legal remedies he could take before surrendering to the authorities, his lawyer said Sunday.
There are several legal remedies that the embattled Quiboloy can take before he would entertain the idea of surrendering to government authorities, according to the counsel of the religious leader in Davao.
In an interview with The Manila Times, lawyer Israelito Torreon said there is still a question as to the validity of the charges filed against Quiboloy and whether it is within his right to question the finding of probable cause against him or file a motion to quash the warrants of arrest issued against him.
Quiboloy is facing charges under Section 5(b) of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act and under Section 10(a) of the same act before a Davao court.
He is also facing a non-bailable offense of Qualified Human Trafficking under Section 4 (a) of Republic Act 9208, as amended before a Pasig court.
The Davao and Pasig courts have issued arrest warrants against Quiboloy and his co-respondents.
Quiboloy is also wanted by the FBI in the United States on the FBI in the United States on charges of 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.
Torreon said they will move to file a motion to quash the warrants of arrest by questioning their validity.
He argued there was a grave violation of the rights of the accused to speedy disposition of cases.
"It took the DoJ (Department of Justice) four years and three months to undertake the preliminary investigation; hence, the resulting resolution finding probable cause against the respondents as well as the information and warrants of arrest are void," Torreon said.
He also said they would oppose the move by the DoJ to request the transfer of the child abuse and maltreatment case from Davao City to Pasig City, where the controversial evangelist is facing qualified human trafficking.
"I have not yet received the alleged petition to transfer the venue filed by the DoJ," Torreon said. "If ever they will do that, [we] will certainly oppose the same because the alleged crimes charged against Pastor Quiboloy allegedly happened in Davao City; therefore, the jurisdiction of the alleged crimes should be in Davao City."
He said the trial should also be conducted in Davao City.
"It would be highly unfair and costly if the trial would be transferred to Pasig City as all witnesses of the accused are based in Davao City," Torreon said.
He said transferring the venue of the trial because the complainant in the child abuse case fears for her safety is not a sufficient reason.
Torreon emphasized that the safety of the complainant was never an issue as the libel cases against her have been on trial from 2018 until the present, "yet nothing has happened to her, and her security has never been threatened during the hearings."
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