Quiboloy extradition bid: Palace lays out Philippines' options
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is studying how the Philippines will proceed with the US request to extradite Apollo Quiboloy, with Malacañang saying an announcement may come within "a couple of weeks."
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Monday, August 10 that she had spoken with Marcos about the request to turn over the Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder, who is also facing criminal cases in Philippine courts.
"He said this really needs to be studied carefully. But in a couple of weeks, they will make an announcement on the decision regarding this," Castro said in Filipino.
The controversial preacher's extradition is not a foregone conclusion. Castro said the Philippines-US extradition treaty allows the government to either defer his surrender while his local proceedings continue or temporarily surrender him to US authorities.
"That is in the agreement, in our treaty with the US, and it is included in its provisions, so we have two options," Castro said.
Under the treaty, a person facing prosecution in the requested country may be temporarily surrendered to the requesting country for trial and later returned to face local cases. The Philippines may also defer surrender until local proceedings are concluded.
Castro said any action would still have to go through the legal process.
DOJ weighs formal request
Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida, meanwhile, confirmed Friday, August 7, that the Department of Justice had received the "formal transmittal" of the US extradition request from the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Vida said the DOJ would consider the extradition treaty, Philippine laws, Supreme Court rulings and Quiboloy's pending local cases before deciding how to proceed.
"We look at the whole habitat of the Philippine legal system in evaluating this. Not only the existing treaty, not only the particular rules relevant to the case and also decided cases of the Supreme Court, which will always guide all actions of the Philippine government," Vida said.
The formal US request does not by itself authorize Quiboloy's surrender. The DOJ must pursue an extradition petition in court, and he may be turned over to US authorities only after the required extradition proceedings.
"So everything will be weighed," Vida added.
Cases in US, Philippines. Quiboloy was indicted by a US federal grand jury in 2021 on charges that include conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and sex trafficking of children.
He also faces substantive sex trafficking, conspiracy and bulk cash smuggling charges.
US prosecutors accused Quiboloy and other Kingdom of Jesus Christ officials of recruiting women and girls as personal assistants and coercing them into sex.
Quiboloy has denied the allegations.
In the Philippines, he remains detained while facing child and sexual abuse charges before a Quezon City court and non-bailable qualified human trafficking charges before a Pasig court.
- Latest
- Trending