How did a popular Filipino televangelist end up on the FBI’s most wanted list?

MANILA, Philippines — In his heyday, Apollo Carreon Quiboloy was one of the most influential religious leaders and televangelists in the Philippines. He called himself a “called son of God” and was also a political kingmaker who supported former President Rodrigo Duterte.

In an amended US indictment from 2021, he is accused of, among other things, sex with women and underage girls and forced prostitution. Similar criminal charges are pending against him in the Philippines, where he went into hiding this year.

Surrounded by heavily armed police, the 74-year-old preacher and four co-defendants surrendered in his religious stronghold in the south on Sunday. On Monday, they were presented to the press in orange prison shirts and face masks, while senior officials warned on national television that “no one is above the law.”

Here’s what we know about Quiboloy:

How did Quiboloy gain so much influence and power?

By most accounts, Quiboloy’s preaching began to attract attention in 1985, when he founded the Kingdom of Jesus Christ Church, which later claimed to have 6 million mostly Filipino members in about 200 countries, including the United States. Not much is known about how Quiboloy managed to raise the funds to build his empire, which included what many considered his true kingdom in Davao – a 30-hectare complex that included a cathedral, a massive stadium and an airplane hangar with a runway to Davao International Airport. He founded a television and radio network, as well as religious charities in the Philippines and abroad, which helped him build his image as a popular televangelist.

According to the U.S. indictment, Quiboloy also maintained large residences in California, Las Vegas and Hawaii.

At the height of his influence, candidates flew to Davao to seek his electoral support. In the 2016 presidential election, Quiboloy supported his close friend Duterte, to whom he also served as a spiritual adviser. Duterte had at times appeared with Quiboloy on the religious leader’s television and radio shows, where the then-president spoke openly about his deadly crackdown on illegal drugs.

The killing of thousands of mostly poor drug suspects under Duterte’s rule has been condemned by Western governments and human rights groups and is being investigated by the International Criminal Court as a possible crime against humanity. Duterte has denied ordering the killings but has openly threatened drug traffickers with death.

Quiboloy has made outrageous claims that have raised doubts about his character but endeared him to his fanatical followers. In 2019, he claimed to have prevented a major earthquake in the southern Philippines.

What are the charges against Quiboloy?

US federal prosecutors filed charges against Quiboloy in 2021 for allegedly having sex with women and underage girls who were threatened with abuse and “eternal damnation” if they did not yield to the self-proclaimed “Son of God.” The allegations were made by former followers of Quiboloy.

The amended indictment contained a number of charges, including conspiracy, trafficking of children for sexual exploitation, sex trafficking with violence, fraud and coercion, marriage fraud, money laundering, cash smuggling and visa fraud.

Quiboloy and eight other defendants were accused of “participating in a human trafficking scheme in which church members came to the United States on fraudulently obtained visas and were coerced into collecting donations for a sham charity… donations that were actually used to finance church operations and the lavish lifestyles of its leaders.”

They were accused of “recruiting women and girls, typically between the ages of 12 and 25, as ‘pastoral assistants’ who cooked his meals, cleaned his houses, gave him massages and traveled around the world with him. Some also had sex with Quiboloy during their scheduled ‘night shifts,’ including some minors, such as a 15-year-old girl,” the indictment states.

In November 2021, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Quiboloy. He landed on the FBI’s most wanted list and his face was featured on numerous agency posters featuring fugitive criminals.

In the Philippines, Quiboloy was charged in one court with violating a law protecting children from abuse, exploitation and discrimination and in another court with human trafficking after a number of former followers filed complaints.

Quiboloy and his co-defendants, as well as their lawyers, deny any wrongdoing and say they are prepared to answer the allegations in court. They say the numerous allegations were fabricated by critics and former members who were expelled from his religious group.

Earlier this year, Quiboloy went into hiding after a Philippine court arrested him and several others on suspicion of child abuse, sexual abuse and human trafficking. The Philippine Senate also ordered Quiboloy’s arrest because he refused to attend public hearings investigating the criminal charges against him.

How was he caught and what happens next?

On August 24, more than 2,000 police officers, backed by riot police, raided his religious complex in Davao. It was a chaotic operation that saw many of his followers stage loud protests, complaining of “overkill” and protesting his innocence. Duterte and his family criticized the massive raid, which also involved the use of police equipment capable of detecting people hiding in underground tunnels.

The breakthrough in the search came on Sunday when police gave Quiboloy a 24-hour ultimatum to turn himself in or they would again search the Bible school building where the preacher was believed to be hiding. Before nightfall, Quiboloy and four others turned themselves in and were flown to Manila, where they were detained in a highly secure detention center at the police headquarters.

“He could not bear to witness the suffering of his herd for many days any longer,” said his lawyer, Israelito Torreon, about Quiboloy’s surrender.

Quiboloy and his co-defendant were briefly presented to the press on Monday, but the televangelist, known for his long sermons, did not comment. Interior Minister Benhur Abalos and national police chief General Rommel Francisco Marbil warned that the arrest of the influential preacher showed that in the Philippines “no one is above the law.”

The United States was expected to eventually seek the extradition of Quiboloy and his co-defendants, but President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said they must first face justice in the Philippines.

Quiboloy, Marcos said, would be treated like any other prisoner and would not receive any special treatment.