ASEANEWS | HARD COPIES | Quiboloy Now in Davao City, Not In Hiding- Lawyer

MANILA, Philippines — Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, who was officially declared last month by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as a wanted suspected sex trafficker in the United States, has not gone into hiding and remains in Davao City.

In a virtual briefing on Sunday, one of Quiboloy’s lawyers, Ferdinand Topacio, claimed that the charges against Quiboloy were part of an “orchestrated effort” to destroy him and “indirectly, the present administration….”

But he brushed aside suggestions that Quiboloy should voluntarily face trial in the United States and defend himself, stressing that they would wait for the extradition process to run its course.

“Everyone knows there’s a process for extradition. I think [the release of the poster] is merely designed to humiliate and embarrass the pastor. This is a very despicable act,” Topacio said.

He also called the release of the FBI wanted poster ill-timed since it happened just before the start of the campaign period, noting that the US federal grand jury indictment and issuance of an arrest warrant for his client happened in November.

Topacio claimed there was an intent to tarnish the name of President Rodrigo Duterte who had always been identified as Quiboloy’s close friend.

US interference