Pasig court denies Quiboloy motion for house arrest
Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader Apollo Quiboloy (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / MARIANNE BERMUDEZ)
MANILA, Philippines — A Pasig City court on Wednesday denied alleged sex offender Apollo Quiboloy’s request to be placed under house arrest due to lack of merit.
The Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 159 made the decision after Quiboloy filed a motion to be placed under house arrest, citing humanitarian considerations as well as his medical situation.
Quiboloy also anchored his motion on the United Nations’ Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners or the Nelson Mandela Rules.
The court, however, denied the motion due to the lack of legal basis.
The court, in its decision, stated that the Nelson Mandela Rules were not intended to establish a legal foundation for house arrest, clarifying that they merely prescribed minimum standards for the treatment of detained prisoners.
“The Court maintains that medical access and house arrest are not intertwined, considering that the health of accused Quiboloy can be safeguarded while in detention through the medical interventions available at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) clinic and those which the Court may prescribe,” the decision read.
“Thus, the Court finds no compelling justification for accused Quiboloy to be placed under house arrest,” it added.
The Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder and televangelist is currently facing child abuse and human trafficking cases before the Quezon City and Pasig City courts, respectively.
Apart from his cases in the country, Quiboloy is also facing several criminal charges in the US, including conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; sex trafficking of children; and sex trafficking by force, fraud, coercion, conspiracy, and bulk cash smuggling.
