CITING existing treaties of which the Philippines is a signatory, the United States seemed extremely eager on laying its hand over the country’s most influential yet notoriously famous religious icon.
According to Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez, US authorities are “very eager” to hear good news soon over its request for the Philippines to extradite Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder Apollo Quiboloy.
He however clarified that the decision rests on the Philippine government.
“The US, of course, is very eager to find out how quickly all of these will be resolved,” Romualdez told reporters at the sidelines of the Manila Overseas Press Club Judiciary Night in Makati City.
In an earlier statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs said that the formal extradition request coursed through the US Embassy in Manila, has already been referred to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Quiboloy, who was arrested in September 2024 on charges of violation of the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act, remains detained at the Pasig City Jail.
He is also facing a non-bailable qualified human trafficking charge before a Pasig court.
Quiboloy, who served as presidential security adviser of former President Rodrigo Duterte, has long been on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s most wanted list after being charged in the US with sex trafficking.
When asked what made the US very eager in taking custody of Quiboloy, Romualdez replied — “It’s only natural that the US would like to see his extradition take place, and we have to remember this is a transnational crime…I would think we have to consider the pros and cons of this extradition because we have international agreements.”
While Romualdez acknowledged that “cases pending locally will have to take precedence over any extradition,” he urged the Philippine authorities to be “careful on how we handle this.”
Relatedly, DOJ Secretary Fredderick Vida said the department will evaluate the extradition request — “We will take all facts into consideration…so everything will be weighed. All factors will be weighed.”
“We will evaluate. We will fact-check everything, and we will validate based on the existing treaty we have with the United States, which is the existing extradition treaty… As soon as possible, as soon as we have finished our evaluation, we will come up with the decision, and we will inform the public on the action of the DOJ.”
He however said that they will have to take into consideration Quiboloy’s pending local cases, previous Supreme Court decisions, and the provisions of the extradition treaty, among others.
He declined to provide a timetable as to when the DOJ will release its decision — “We will give it its due prioritization considering the various work of the DOJ.”