MANILA (PHILIPPINES)
ABS-CBN [Quezon City, Philippines]
October 23, 2024
By RG Cruz
MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) believes about 200 women are victims of sexual exploitation within the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) community, with nearly 70 by its leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.
The PNP said that while KOJC has been publicly announcing that their members reach 8 million followers, only 8,000 are believed to be currently active members based on interviews conducted by PNP.
Members are said to be recruited and groomed to be either a member of the Inner Pastoral, allegedly sexually exploited by Quiboloy, or they become an ordinary miracle worker who is forced into labor to raise funds for the KOJC.
The PNP also showed pictures of Quiboloy’s alleged luxurious bedroom, which had its own jacuzzi.
The PNP also claimed that Quiboloy tapped the so-called Angels of Death, a private armed group to sow fear.
ABUSE, TORTURE
Yulya Tartova Voronina, a Ukrainian who was among those sexually abused, faced off with Quiboloy during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Women.
“If you will try to deny, they will punish you. They have lots of really psychological instruments that they will use on you, it won’t be enough to mention everything. They will punish and call us, scold us for a meeting and put us in shame, saying that we are ungrateful because Pastor give us everything and you just don’t want to give sacrifice your body, like Jesus Christ sacrificed,” Voronina said.
• Eye to eye with Quiboloy, Hontiveros asks: ‘Did you sexually abuse KOJC women, children?’
“Like for example, he has the key of each room and just in the middle of the night, he come to my room and have sex with me. You cannot run away. You cannot say, ‘I don’t want,’ because he will say ‘You didn’t overcome your flesh and if you will not obey, you will go to hell.’ Things like that,” the victim added.
Voronina recalled one KOC member, Stephanie Ibarra, had to jump out a window to escape.
Another witness, Joar Martinet Olimba alias Jerome, said they were made to inflict self harm, such as banging their heads and punching their knuckles on the wall until they bled, as well as sprinkling chopped chili on their eyes, mouth, and genitals.
• No formal request yet for Quiboloy extradition to US, says DFA
• Quiboloy calls Senate hearing unfair, brands it as ‘trial by publicity’
• Ex-KOJC member recalls sexual abuse, months-long fasting ‘to slowly kill me’
“Nakaranas po ako ng karumal-dumal na ano, sa loob ng compound ng Kingdom of Jesus Christ. Doon po sa Novaliches, Sauyo, Quezon City. Ako po yung nakaranas ng karumal-dumal na torture po, na utos po ni Pastor Quiboloy sa kasalanan po, nanood lang po ako ng sine at saka nagka-girlfriend na tagalabas,” Olimba said.
When it was Quiboloy’s turn to speak, he denied all the allegations, challenged them to sue him in court, and invoked his right to remain silent on allegations already in court.
The PNP believes there are more members who have to be rescued from the KOJC.
The PNP said the government must proceed to a financial investigation on possible money laundering cases committed by Quiboloy and KOJC.
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