Apollo Quiboloy, a detained Philippine pastor wanted in the United States for sex trafficking children, has officially registered to run in next year’s senate elections. Quiboloy, a self-proclaimed “Appointed Son of God” and a prominent figure who supported former president Rodrigo Duterte, is currently facing multiple charges, including child abuse, sexual abuse, and human trafficking, following his arrest last month in Manila.
His lawyer, Mark Christopher Tolentino, submitted the candidacy paperwork and stated that Quiboloy aims to contribute to solving the country’s issues, running “because of God and our beloved Philippines.” Tolentino added that Quiboloy intends to advocate for laws that are “God-centered, Philippine-centered, and Filipino-centered.”
This situation echoes previous instances in Philippine politics, such as Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, who won a senate seat while on trial for corruption in 2022 and was later acquitted. Similarly, rights advocate Leila de Lima served most of her six-year term in prison after her 2017 detention on drug charges, but she was cleared earlier this year.
According to Philippine election law, candidates cannot be disqualified from running for the senate unless they have exhausted all appeals after being convicted of offenses involving “moral turpitude,” which does not specify particular crimes.
In 2021, the United States charged Quiboloy with sex trafficking, alleging that he trafficked girls and women as personal assistants who were coerced into sexual acts during their “night duty.” He is also wanted by U.S. authorities for bulk cash smuggling and orchestrating a scheme to fraudulently bring church members to the U.S. through false visa applications. These individuals were reportedly forced to solicit donations for a fake charity, which funded church operations and the extravagant lifestyles of its leaders, as detailed by the FBI.
Next year’s midterm elections will see 12 of the 24 senate seats contested, alongside over 18,000 congressional and local government executive positions.