Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros said on Thursday they will resume their investigation on the alleged crimes of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy on October 23 with hopes of securing the cooperation of Marissa Duenas.
Hontiveros made the announcement as she welcomed reports that Duenas, Quiboloy’s trusted administrator in California, pled guilty to arranging fake marriages between KOJC members and American citizens to defraud US authorities.
In a press conference, Hontiveros said Duenas’ decision to make a plea bargain with the US Attorneys Office is a significant step towards holding Quiboloy accountable for his alleged crimes, including human trafficking, visa fraud, and sexual abuse to name a few.
As chair of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, Hontiveros hopes that Duenas, given her position in KOJC, will be willing to participate in their investigation.
“I hope, like Ms Duenas, the other co-accused of Quiboloy would cooperate with the authorities. I hope they listen to their conscience and reveal the entire truth and everything they know (about the crimes),” Hontiveros said in a statement.
“I urge the Department of Justice to extend all necessary legal assistance to any co-accused or any other person willing to cooperate towards attaining justice for the many women, child, labor, and other victims of Quiboloy’s crimes throughout the years,” she added.
Hontiveros said they expect more victim-survivors to come forward and share their testimonies once the Senate resumes its public hearing on the crimes of Quiboloy two Wednesdays from now.
“We had victim-survivors who already testified and we will have new ones coming forward to pursue a bit of justice, even just in the manner of confronting their previous leader,” Hontiveros told reporters without disclosing the number of witnesses they invited.
“Over the past seven months when we suspended (the hearing), there are people who reached out to my office and our committee because they followed the previous hearings and the testimonies of their fellow victim-survivors,” she noted.
Hontiveros said Duenas has not yet expressed her intention to cooperate with the Senate investigation, but they are discussing this possibility. She said they will be coordinating with the court next week to make it happen.
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