MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Justice defended Tuesday the P10,000,000.00 reward for any information on the whereabouts of fugitive televangelist Apollo Quiboloy, saying the “bounty” was absolutely legal.
This was brought up when Kingdom of Jesus Christ Executive Secretary Eleanor Cardona contested the amount which she termed a “bounty.” As announced by Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, the amount was offered by a private citizen.
“Legal ba ang pagpatong ng P10 million sa ulo… Kasi when you put a bounty of P10 million sa ulo ng isang tao na hindi convicted ng kahit anong korte dito sa ating bansa, ‘yun nga mas masahol pa siya sa masahol na terorista at killer dito sa bansa. Pastor Quiboloy hindi pa siya convicted,” Cardona said in the Senate hearing on the alleged excessive use of force in the serving of warrants to Quiboloy and his co-accused.
Quiboloy and his five accused are facing child abuse cases before a Davao City Court. Human trafficking cases are also filed against him in a Pasig City court.
Justice Undersecretary Nicolas Felix Ty then explained the difference between a bounty and a reward.
“This is a reward, not a bounty. A bounty is for people who should be arrested because they are convicts of a crime or they have [an] outstanding warrant of arrest,” Ty said.
“This reward covers many things, not just the arrest but information on the whereabouts of the various accused — including Pastor Quiboloy,” he said.
Ty defended that offers for rewards to locate a fugitive from law is lawful.
“Why is this legal? First of all, this is part of our job in the justice sector. We need to implement our criminal laws, and we will not be able to implement them if the accused is nowhere to be found. Apart from that, it is clear in our system that it is not forbidden to offer rewards to be able to locate an accused and present him before the court,” he said.
Abalos had earlier said that the reward had been raised by “friends” who would like to help find the accused rapist. He however declined to name the donors.
