DAVAO CITY, Philippines —DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Apollo Carreon Quiboloy, a self-proclaimed “Appointed Son of God” and “Owner of the Universe,” has been the subject of extensive scrutiny from both U.S. and Philippine authorities.
This article explores his background, rise to prominence, and the controversies that have shadowed his career.
Background and Founding
Born on April 20, 1950, in Barangay Dumanlas, Buhangin, Davao City, Quiboloy is the son of Maria Carreon and Jose Quiboloy. He was penalized and paid around P150,000 by the city government.
Raised in a family affiliated with the United Pentecostal Church, he founded the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), also known as “The Name Above Every Name,” on September 1, 1985.
Starting with a prayer house on Villamor Street in Agdavao, Davao City, Quiboloy has grown to become a prominent international televangelist based in the Philippines.
Friends and Connections
Quiboloy claims to have 8 million followers. Politicians come to him for support during elections, but his actual impact on voter turnout remains unverified.
Financial and Property Holdings
Recent evaluations place Quiboloy’s U.S. properties at PHP 262.52 million, with his assets in the Philippines estimated in the billions. Despite his wealth, he faces numerous legal challenges both domestically and internationally.
Timeline of Legal Issues
- In the early 90s: The defunct Mindanao Daily reported that the Davao City government raised concerns about Quiboloy’s development of Prayer Mountain, which lacked the necessary locational clearance.
- February 2018: Quiboloy and six associates were detained in Honolulu after U.S. customs agents discovered $350,000 and rifle parts in a private plane. Felina Salinas, a staff member, was arrested for attempted bulk cash smuggling.
- April 2018: The FBI began investigating complaints that KOJC members were flown to Hawaii to sell food as part of fundraising activities.
- October 2018: A former KOJC member filed a lawsuit in Hawaii alleging childhood sexual abuse by Quiboloy.
- December 2019: Another former KOJC worker filed charges in Davao City for rape, human trafficking, and child abuse against Quiboloy and others.
- January 2020: KOJC administrators Guia Cabactulan, Marissa Duenas, and Amanda Estopare were arrested by the FBI for alleged human trafficking, accused of coercing church members to solicit money under pretenses.
- February 2020: A California federal grand jury charged Cabactulan, Duenas, and Estopare with labor trafficking and immigration fraud.
- July 2020: Davao prosecutors dismissed rape and trafficking complaints against Quiboloy due to insufficient evidence.
- November 2021: U.S. prosecutors indicted Quiboloy and others for allegedly running a sex trafficking operation involving minors, leading to an arrest warrant and extradition request by the FBI.
- February 2022: The FBI released wanted posters for Quiboloy and others involved in alleged labor trafficking.
- April 2022: A Los Angeles paralegal pleaded guilty to conspiracy related to fraudulent immigration documents for KOJC members.
- December 2022: The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Quiboloy for serious human rights abuses, including systemic rape.
- December 2023: The Philippine Senate initiated an investigation (Resolution 884) into KOJC and potential gaps in human trafficking laws, child abuse, and exploitation.
- January 2024: Quiboloy skipped a Senate hearing.
- February 2024: The Senate issued an official subpoena for Quiboloy.
- March 2024: The Philippine Senate cited Quiboloy in contempt for ignoring subpoenas. A California judge ordered the unsealing of arrest warrants for sex trafficking and other charges, and a show cause order was issued to Quiboloy.
- April 2024: A Davao court issued an arrest warrant for Quiboloy and five others.
- May 2024: The Supreme Court allowed the transfer of Quiboloy’s cases from Davao to Quezon City.
- June 10, 2024: Authorities served arrest warrants at multiple KOJC properties but did not locate Quiboloy.
- July 2024: A PHP 10 million bounty was offered for information leading to Quiboloy’s arrest. Pauline Canada was arrested in Davao City on July 11.
- August 6, 2024: The Court of Appeals ordered the freezing of bank accounts and assets belonging to Quiboloy and his co-accused. The assets frozen include:
- At least 10 bank accounts belonging to Quiboloy.
- Seven real properties.
- Five motor vehicles.
- One aircraft.
- 27 bank accounts belonging to co-accused Pauline Canada.
- Bank accounts of other individuals, including Maria Dandan, Helen Panilag, Cresente Canada, Ingrid Canada, Sylvia Cemañes, Jackielyn Roy, Alona Santander, and Marlon Acobo.
- 23 bank accounts of the Children’s Joy Foundation.
- 47 bank accounts of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
- 17 bank accounts of Swara Sug Media Corp.
Current Rewards and Future Prospects
As of August 2024, approximately 2,000 police personnel from the Davao Region and other parts of Mindanao have been deployed to search a 30-hectare property owned by KOJC, but Quiboloy remains elusive.
A PHP 10 million reward is currently offered for information leading to his arrest, while co-accused Cresente Canada, Jackielyn Roy, and Sylvia Cemañes each have a PHP 1 million reward.
As investigations continue, the future of Quiboloy’s controversial saga remains uncertain, with many questioning whether this represents the end of his tumultuous story or the beginning of a new chapter.
The post Who is Apollo Carreon Quiboloy? An overview of the controversial televangelist appeared first on NewsLine Philippines.
Who is Apollo Carreon Quiboloy? An overview of the controversial televangelist
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