Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy and his 4 other co-accused yesterday entered a “Not Guilty Plea” when they were arraigned in a Pasig Regional Trial Court on a case related to qualified human trafficking.
Well, what do people expect they will? In fact it is one reason the religious leader went into hiding for several months because he, together with his co-accused believe he does not have a case; that the evidence against him as far as that particular case is concerned are weak and will not hold ground.
But then again, Quiboloy and company’s “Not Guilty” plea is only the beginning. What will follow after his claiming innocence is a full-blown trial on the merits. It is on this succeeding deliberation that the court will be using its informed, educated and fair judgment whether or not the accused’s “Not Guilty” plea will hold water.
*************************************
Now that the Pastor Quiboloy drama is slowly subsiding at the local level (meaning in Davao City, at least) time has come for the Davaoenos to go back to “normal.” The local officials who are –whether they like it or not – tilted to the Davaoeno Pastor’s favor, should better be back to their usual routine in serving their constituents. That is, that Davaoenos with the local civilian officials on the lead, should endeavor to set aside their individual bias and just move on so they could respond to the requirements of the Davao society.
The once fugitive Pastor is now in the jurisdiction of the courts and Davaoenos should stop stoking the fire which if the local officials continue to do so, may end up evolving into a political conflagration that may just be too hard to put out.
Come to think of it, just because another Davao prominent person is suddenly brought into the national consciousness he being a close friend and perceived backer of the former Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte who is now locked in political battle with the incumbent, the Quiboloy saga has been perceived to have been laced with politics at its worst.
And it seems the Pastor’s backer former President is not about ready to bring down his flag. He too, has reportedly filed a number of cases against the police who raided the compound of Quiboloy’s Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) church to serve the warrants against the religious leader and four others.
Given how slow the wheel of Justice turns in our country especially if social or political heavyweights are the ones involved, talking of months or even years for the cases’ final resolution is an “understatement.”. Sometimes it can even last a lifetime, or even outlive the contending personalities.
We can only hope that the present national dispensation will be able to goad the judiciary into acting with significant haste the resolution of all cases filed against the Pastor and those that were and are to be filed later against any other as consequence.
****************************
By next month the candidates to both local and national governments’ elective positions will be filing their certificates of candidacy. The elections will be in May of next year.
In Davao City we are certain that incumbent Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte will be running for reelection. This is our personal take on him despite reports that he is groomed to run for the Senate together with his brother Congressman Polong Duterte and his father former President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
However, we feel that Baste’s reported run for the Senate and VP Sara sliding down to run for mayor could just be one bluff to muddle the local political scenario in the city. With VP Sara’s name “floated” as a mayoral candidate no one will ever dare to run against her. Thus, even if Baste will delay his filing up to the last minute of the deadline having Sara’s name hanging up to deadline time will be like a Damocles’ sword to any other politician wanting to have a crack at the city’s top position.
Besides, for now we cannot think of anyone who can possibly put up a fight with any of the Duterte scion. For how could that possible ambitious person contend with the strong and steady grip of the Duterte family of most – if not all – of barangay captains and Kabataang barangay heads and village councilors as well.
And possibly in terms of financial and logistical resources needed to run an effective campaign in the whole of Davao City, still no other political families can match what is at the disposal of the ruling clan.
So, it is our humble assessment that any attempt by some people who believe they have what it takes to clash head on with the Dutertes is political suicide. They’d just be nipping their ambition in the bud.
