Pasig court denies Quiboloy’s motion for house arrest

A Pasig court has denied the motion of detained televangelist and senatorial candidate Apollo Quiboloy for house arrest, saying it found no compelling justification for him to be placed under such arrangement.

In a 4-page order dated March 12, the Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 159 denied the motion for lack of merit.

“[M]ere conjectures regarding the potential deterioration of his health, while in detention, are insufficient to justify the grant of house arrest,” the court said.

It also stressed that medical access and house arrest are not intertwined.

“[C]onsidering that the health of accused Quiboloy can be safeguarded while in detention through the medical interventions available at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology clinic and those which the court may prescribe,” it said.

Quiboloy had asked the court to be placed under house arrest at the Garden of Eden Resort in Davao City, at the KOJC Compound, or Tagaytay City.

The court said his motion was premised on his medical situation and humanitarian considerations.

“At the outset, a motion to place an accused under house arrest on the grounds of humanitarian considerations and medical reasons finds no basis in the Rules of Criminal Procedure or the pertinent provisions of the Constitution,” it said.

Meanwhile, the RTC Branch 159 also denied the motion of Quiboloy’s camp to exclude private lawyers and private prosecutors from the case.

This would have disallowed private prosecutors Atty. Joahna Paula Domingo and Atty. Ian Enterina, the legal counsel of complainant Amanda, from attending the proceedings.

The RTC also denied the motion for want of merit.

GMA News Online has sought comment from Quiboloy’s camp but has yet to receive a response as of posting time.

Meanwhile, when sought for comment, Domingo welcomed the court’s ruling. 

“We maintain our stand that it is preposterous for the government to spend resources to secure a fugitive on house arrest when there is no compelling reason to do so other than the whim of the accused,” she said in a message to GMA News Online.

Domingo said that Quiboloy is healthy enough to run for public office.

She also welcomed the denial of the motion that will exclude her and fellow lawyer Enterina from the proceedings.

“The prosecution opposed their Motion asserting that there was no waiver of civil action neither did the private complainant reserve the right to institute it separately. There was also no waiver of the right to present evidence to prove civil liability,” she said.

“Hence we maintained that their motion was indeed without legal basis. And we are happy that the court appreciated that,” she added.

Quiboloy is currently facing a non-bailable qualified human trafficking charge under Section 4(a) of Republic Act No. 9208, as amended, before the Pasig court.

The next hearing will be on March 21, 2025.

The Davao City-based religious leader is also facing charges under Section 5(b) and  Section 10(a) of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act. —LDF, GMA Integrated News