LAWYER Mark Tolentino on Friday said the Workers and Peasants Party under his leadership officially nominated Pastor Apollo Quiboloy as their sole senatorial candidate.
“We are the one who offered to Pastor ACQ as our official candidate and we are happy because he accepted our nomination,” Tolentino said in his Facebook page post.
“Hindi ako naniniwala na may party dispute kasi we are solid and united for Pastor ACQ,” he added.
“Per Comelec issued document, there is only One WPP and that is ours under my leadership.”
“Yung other group, kung sinu man sila, bahala na ang Comelec sa kanila. But ACQ team will still accept them in case they will support ACQ as senator,” he further said.
Meanwhile, Senator Risa Hontiveros questions Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s filing of a Certificate of Candidacy to run for senator.
The senator stated that Quiboloy has been implicated in crimes such as child abuse, money laundering, and human trafficking and that no lawbreaker should be voted into a legislative position.
Hontiveros further expressed that Pastor Apollo Quiboloy should feel some shame.
For someone facing numerous charges and hiding from the law, he dares to present himself to the public as a potential lawmaker.
Everyone has the right to run for public office but the senator believes that Filipinos deserve accurate information to exercise their right to choose leaders and that Quiboloy should not be voted for.
This was also addressed by former Presidential Legal Adviser Atty. Salvador Panelo stated that Senator Hontiveros has no basis to judge Quiboloy since he has not been convicted of the charges against him.
Quiboloy claims to be the “appointed son of God” and is an ally of former president Rodrigo Duterte.
He was surrendered last month after a 16-day manhunt across a sprawling compound belonging to his church, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KoJC), which he founded in 1985 after claiming to have heard the voice of God.
He is imprisoned in Pasig City jail and is facing charges of child abuse, sexual abuse, and human trafficking.
Quiboloy, 74, is also wanted by the FBI after he was indicted in the US in 2021 on charges of sex trafficking, including of children, and bulk cash smuggling.
