Philippines arrests fugitive pastor accused by US of child sex-trafficking
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Apollo Quiboloy is the founder of the Philippines-based Kingdom of Jesus Christ church that claims millions of members.
PHOTO: AFP
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MANILA - A Philippine pastor wanted in the US for child sex-trafficking has been arrested, officials said on Sept 8, two weeks into a massive police manhunt.
“Apollo Quiboloy has been arrested,” Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos said on his official Facebook page without providing further details.
The politically connected pastor has also been charged with human trafficking in a Philippine court.
A self-proclaimed “Son of God” and ally of former president Rodrigo Duterte, Quiboloy is the founder of the Philippines-based Kingdom of Jesus Christ church that claims millions of members.
The US Justice Department charged Quiboloy in 2021 with the sex-trafficking of girls and women
Brigadier-General Nicolas Torre, the regional police chief who led the manhunt at the sect’s headquarters in the southern city of Davao, confirmed the arrest at a news conference.
Some 2,000 police were deployed at the sect’s Davao headquarters on Aug 24 to serve an arrest warrant against Quiboloy, but Brig-Gen Torre did not discuss details of the arrest.
“This is a concerted effort of everyone involved,” he told reporters.
“Let’s be proud. We did our job today.” AFP
