“KAIBIGAN KO si Pastor Quiboloy. Mabait siya sa aming pamilya. Nagtataka ako dyan sa case na ‘yan kaya medyo ‘di ako naniniwala dyan sa case na ‘yan.”
So declared Sen. Cynthia Villar
“He [Quiboloy] is not just a friend. He is a comrade who shares my principles against armed communist struggle.
Echoed Sen. Robinhood Padilla. Yeah, he who once sought out Communist Party of the Philippines founder Joma Sison in far off Utrecht, The Netherlands to fawn homage and called him “Supremo.”
In a matter moral and criminal, Villar and Padilla opted to cavil about friendship.
“Maninidigan po tayo. Hindi ko po tinatanggal kanino man ang maging kaibigan o tumanaw ng kabaitan ‘nya sa pamilya. Pero kahit kaibigan natin, kahit naging mabait sa pamilya natin, kapag ang akusasyon sa kanya ay pang gagahasa, pang aabuso sa bata, panlilinlang, di ba’t ang tama nating gawin bilang Senado ay paharapin ‘yung tao na yun sa komite.”
So, Sen. Risa Hontiveros demolished her two peers’ ad hominems.
Really, Padilla? Truly, Villar? The primacy of personal relationships over the interest of justice, of human rights?
“Initially, I made the decision to sign the objection letter, initiated by Sen. Robinhood Padilla on the contempt ruling of Sen. Risa Hontiveros against Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, in consideration of procedural practicality. But after careful review of the facts, witness testimonies, and additional information, such as the allegations of rape during the last committee hearing, I have decided to withdraw my signature today.”
So, did Sen. JV Ejercito find some epiphany enough to make a complete turnaround? Indeed, anyone whose heart is in the right place could not helped but be moved by this articulation of the Quiboloy issue by Hontiveros, to wit:
“Araw-gabi kumayod ang mga OFW, tapos imbes na mapunta sa pamilya nila ang pinagtrabahuan nila, pilit silang hinuhuthutan ni Quiboloy. Di na nga nakukuha ang sweldo nila, pinagbebenta pa sila ng kung ano-ano para lang maka pag-remit, hindi sa kanilang pamilya kundi sa Kingdom [of Jesus Christ].
We call our OFWs our modern-day heroes, yet we are failing to protect them from fraudsters like Quiboloy. Sana magkaisa ang Senado para mabigyan ang ating mga kababayan ng hustisya.
More and more victim-survivors have reached out to my office to share the horrific abuses they experienced as members of KOJC. I call on my colleagues in the Senate to actually listen to these victim-survivors. Sigurado ako na kapag mapakinggan nila ang mga karanasan ng mga dating miyembro ni Quiboloy, walang mag-aatubiling manindigan para sa katarungan.”
Not Villar. Not Padilla. Not Sen. Imee Marcos. Not Sen. Bong Go. They only have their ears on, more so their hearts for the self-appointed son of whatever god.
