Pastor wanted by US for sex trafficking to run for Philippine senate

Apollo Quiboloy, a detained Philippine pastor also wanted in the United States for sex trafficking children, registered Tuesday to run in next year’s senate elections – Copyright AFP Jam Sta Rosa

A detained Philippine pastor who is also wanted in the United States for sex trafficking children registered Tuesday to run in next year’s senate elections.

Apollo Quiboloy, an ally of former president Rodrigo Duterte, is a self-proclaimed “Appointed Son of God” whose sect claims millions of followers.

The 74-year-old was arrested last month and is currently detained in Manila and facing charges of child abuse, sexual abuse and human trafficking. One of his lawyers filed his candidacy paperwork.

“He wants to be a part of the solution to the problems of our country. He is running because of God and our beloved Philippines,” lawyer Mark Christopher Tolentino said.

Quiboloy pledges to promote laws that are “God-centred, Philippine-centred and Filipino-centred”, Tolentino told journalists after submitting the candidacy papers to election officials.

The circumstances are not without precedent. 

In May 2022, Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada won a senate seat while on trial for corruption. He took up the post and was acquitted in January.

Another was rights campaigner Leila de Lima, who spent the majority of her six-year senate term in prison after being detained in 2017 on drugs charges. She was cleared this year.

Candidates are only disqualified from standing in senate elections if they have exhausted all appeals after being convicted of offences involving “moral turpitude”, according to the election code which does not list specific crimes.

Quiboloy was charged by the United States in 2021 with sex trafficking of girls and women to work as personal assistants, who were allegedly required to have sex with him during what they said was their “night duty”.

He is also sought by US authorities for bulk cash smuggling and a scheme that brought church members to the US through fraudulently obtained visas.

They were then forced to solicit donations for a bogus charity, raising funds that were instead used to finance church operations and the lavish lifestyles of its leaders, according to the FBI.

Twelve of the 24 senate seats are up for grabs in next year’s midterm polls, along with more than 18,000 congressional and local government executive posts.