By Brian Campued
The United States government wants to extradite Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder Pastor Apollo Quiboloy “as soon as possible” due to numerous cases the televangelist is facing in the US, according to Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel “Babes” Romualdez.
In an interview with IBC13’s “Treze Mornings” on Friday, Ambassador Romualdez confirmed that the extradition request of Quiboloy was already transmitted to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Based on the Presidential Decree No. 1069 of 1977, extradition is the formal process of surrendering a fugitive or accused person within Philippine territory to a requesting foreign state or government for prosecution or punishment for crimes he/she committed under the penal or criminal law of the requesting party.
Only countries with which the Philippines has entered into an extradition treaty or convention may request the extradition of any accused who is or suspected of being in the territorial jurisdiction of the Philippines.
“Essentially, extradition is like a treaty. Meron tayong extradition agreement or treaty with the United States so that ‘pag merong criminal case—a crime has been committed in the United States by a Filipino citizen, they request that this person be extradited… Meron ding American citizen who has committed a crime in the United States pero tumakbo dito sa Pilipinas, hihilingin din nila na i-extradite,” Amb. Romualdez said.
The Philippine envoy clarified that while the US government wants Quiboloy extradited in the shortest time possible, it is the local court that will ultimately decide when the embattled pastor will be surrendered to a foreign soil.
“‘Pag may request na ganyan, gusto nila as soon as possible dahil mayroon ngang mga pending cases sa US ‘yan… At saka itong kaso na ito, hindi ito normal case—in other words this is a high-profile, very, very top priority case because it involves human and child trafficking at saka sex trafficking,” he said.
Quiboloy is facing qualified human trafficking and child sexual abuse charges in the Philippines and was being held in a Pasig City jail.
In the United States, the self-proclaimed “appointed son of God” has been indicted on charges including sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, child sex trafficking, and bulk cash smuggling. He was also placed on the list of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) most wanted fugitives.
The DOJ earlier emphasized that the Philippine government may either defer the extradition process until local cases against Quiboloy are resolved or temporarily surrender him to the US, subject to the Philippines-United States extradition treaty.
Under Article 11 of said treaty, which was signed in Manila on Nov. 13, 1994, the requested state may “temporarily surrender” the person sought even when he/she is still “being prosecuted or is serving a sentence” in the country.
“The person so surrendered shall be kept in custody in the Requesting State and shall be returned to the Requested State after the conclusion of the proceedings against that person, in accordance with conditions to be determined by agreement between the Contracting Parties,” the treaty reads.
However, the requested state may also postpone the extradition proceedings until the “prosecution of the person sought has been concluded or until such person has served any sentence imposed.” (with a report from Sheila Natividad / PTV News)
-jpv
