P15-million reward hangs over Quiboloy, aides’ heads

MANILA, Philippines – Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos announced on Monday, July 8, a P10-million reward for anyone who can provide vital information leading to the arrest of fugitive Davao preacher Apollo Quiboloy. 

Authorities also announced P5 million more, at P1 million each, for the arrest of five of Quiboloy’s church associates: siblings Ingrid, Cresente, and Paulene Canada, Jackielyn Roy, and Sylvia Cemañes.

Quiboloy, the leader of the Davao City-based Kingdom of Jesus Christ, has been ordered arrested by two regional courts on separate occasions since March in connection with cases of sexual abuse of a minor and child abuse filed in Davao, and human trafficking in Pasig.

The Canada siblings, Roy, and Cemañes posted bail in Davao in connection with the child abuse case but were also issued another arrest warrant in April for the trafficking case in Pasig, which is non-bailable. 

Abalos announced the P15-million bounty on the heads of Quiboloy and his companions during a news conference with Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Rommel Marbil in Camp Crame in Quezon City.

The announcement came as the PNP in Southern Mindanao ordered a major reshuffling at the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), a police command that had failed to arrest the fugitives.

Of the six fugitives, only Quiboloy never turned himself in. All his five associates surrendered in March after a Davao court ordered them arrested, and posted bail in connection with a child abuse case. 

However, when a Pasig court ordered them arrested due to a human trafficking case, a non-bailable offense, all remained at large.

The Senate also ordered Quiboloy arrested after he was cited for contempt for snubbing summons to face a committee investigating the pastor’s and his group’s alleged abuses. 

Abalos appealed for public cooperation in capturing Quiboloy and his associates, urging citizens to come forward with any information that could aid their arrest.

Officials called on the doomsday preacher and the other fugitives to surrender.

Quiboloy and two associates are wanted in the United States for a sexual abuse, money laundering, trafficking, fraud, and a string of other criminal cases. – Rappler.com