Philippine court orders arrest of jailed, US-wanted celebrity preacher
A Philippine court has ordered the arrest of jailed celebrity preacher Apollo Quiboloy, who is wanted in the US on child sex trafficking charges, in a step towards his possible extradition.
The country's Justice Department confirmed that the Makati Regional Trial Court issued the warrant of arrest and a hold-departure order on Thursday after finding probable cause that Quiboloy committed the offenses charged. The Philippine government filed its petition with a lower court on Monday, three months after Washington formally requested his extradition in August.
Co-accused still at large
The court issued the same orders against two co-accused, Teresita Dandan and Helen Panilag, both officers of Quiboloy's Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) sect. The two women are still at large, according to local media reports.
Government denies timing coincidence
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro, speaking on behalf of the Office of the President, denied that the warrant was timed to coincide with US President Donald Trump's visit to Manila on November 17 for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit.
No, it was probably just a coincidence.
Legal challenges in Philippines
Quiboloy, who calls himself the 'appointed son of God', is being held without bail while on trial for human trafficking in Pasig, which carries life in prison if convicted. He also faces a child abuse trial in Quezon City and has denied the allegations, pleading not guilty to the Philippine charges.
US charges and background
A US grand jury indicted Quiboloy in 2021 for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, sex trafficking of children and bulk cash smuggling. The FBI identified Dandan as the 'international administrator' of a fake charity operation, and Panilag as a former top church administrator in the US.
Quiboloy's sect claims to have millions of followers and owns a television network. He is a close ally of former President Rodrigo Duterte and ran for Senate last year from prison, receiving 5.6 million votes but losing the election.
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