CABANATUAN CITY – Former Interior Sec. Benhur Abalos on Sunday maintained that Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC)’s Pastor Apollo Quibuloy deserves to be in jail and not in the Senate.
“Simple lang yan e, si Pastor Apollo Quibuloy ay nararapat sa kulungan at hindi sa Senado,” Abalos said in a media briefing here. He was quick to add though that it was his personal opinion recognizing Quibuloy’s right to be presumed innocent until proven otherwise.
Abalos said Quibuloy’s defiance to the serving of the warrant of arrest challenged the process.
“Napaka-basic po nito na ang pinakapundasyon ng isang bansa ay always ang judicial system niya. At kung ito’y niyuyurakan mo para mong niyuyurakan ang buong bansa,” he noted.
This showed, he said, that Quibuloy was “morally, ethically” not qualified to run for the Senate.
“Yun po ay personal na opinyon ko lang although of course, under the law, meron siyang karapatan to be presumed innocent.
Abalos who was welcomed by Nueva Ecija 3rd District Rep. Ria Vergara and other local officials, was asked if he is not bothered that Quibuloy’s supporters would feel bad about his effort to effect the religious leader’s arrest.
“Ang batas ay batas, ito’y dapat ipatupad. Ke tatakbo ka ke hindi, ke ito’y elemento sa pagtakbo hindi siya iboboto, dapat gawin mo ang dapat mong gawin,” he said.
