Economic and Political Situation in the Philippines for Women

Quiboloy's Indictment and Arrest

Under the current president Ferdidand Marcos Jr, the Philippines shoulders a debt of 13.4 trillion PhP, over 60% of the population earns an income of less than 22,000PhP (404.91 USD), and the country is considered the 4th worst country in Southeast Asia in regards to poverty and hunger. This has an overwhelming impact on women, causing Filipino women to face low wages, contractualization and unemployment. Most women are considered informally employed, taking on work in agriculture and other services – the instability of these conditions force women to find work overseas. In turn, this leaves women especially vulnerable to employment scams (aka human trafficking schemes) where they believe they will be working in one field but are instead forcibly placed in jobs they did not want or expect. In some cases, these conditions unfortunately lead to sex trafficking as well.

Apollo Quiboloy, cult leader of Kingdom of Jesus Christ, owner of the Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), and long time partner of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, is guilty of taking part in human trafficking and sex trafficking. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in the United States District Court for the Central District of California in Santa Ana, for:

• conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and sex trafficking of children;

• sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and sex trafficking [of adults];

• fraud and coercion;

• conspiracy;

• and bulk cash smuggling

On November 10, 2021, a federal warrant was issued for his arrest. According to the FBI report, Quiboloy's church, in a labor trafficking scheme, would fraudulently obtain visas for its members under the pretense that they would be performing in musical events in the United States. However, once the church members got to the country, they had their passports taken away and were forced to work as "volunteers," to raise money. Members were sent to various locations across the country and forced to solicit donations for a bogus charity that claimed to aid Filipino children. In actuality, donations were used to finance church operations and the lavish lifestyles of its leaders.

According to the FBI report, members who proved successful at soliciting for the church were forced to enter into sham marriages or obtain fraudulent student visas to continue soliciting in the United States year-round. Furthermore, women were recruited to work as personal assistants, or “pastorals,” for Quiboloy, and his victims prepared his meals, cleaned his residences, gave him massages, and were required to have sex with him, in what the pastorals called “night duty.” Those who tried to leave the church or were not able to perform "night duty" were threatened and physically abused by Quiboloy.

The indictment accuses Quiboloy and two more administrators of recruiting females from ages 12 to 25, and specifically mentions five female victims, three who were underage, who were recruited, starting in 2002 through at least 2018.

Since then, he has evaded showing up to court and on December 9, 2022, the U.S. Department of Treasury imposed sanctions on Quiboloy, blocking all of his properties and interests that are in the U.S. Quiboloy has three offices located in California, and one in Hawaii. While Quiboloy claims he is the son of god, and spreading the word of god, he has taken advantage of his followers and instead, has physically and mentally assaulted them, abusing his position and power within the church. He raped women and minors as young as 12 years old - forcing them against their will or else be “doomed to eternal damnation.”

Furthermore, his media network, SMNI, has been known to attack human rights organizations such as GABRIELA and spread disinformation. Their false claims have serious consequences. GABRIELA members in the Philippines have suffered through wrongful arrests, home raids and surveillance from the state. Since the passing of the Anti-Terror Law, repression on human rights activists have heightened and his media network has contributed to manipulating the public view. Despite the warrant for his arrest, he continues to brazenly broadcast through his media platform and was last seen in the Philippines.

What can you do?

1. Sign the Letter to seek justice for the women and children victims of Quiboloy and pressure the U.S. Government and the Philippine Government to hold Quiboloy accountable for his crimes.

2. Urge others to sign the Letter. Ask local elected officials, unions and labor councils, churches and faith-based organizations, humanitarian organizations, human trafficking organizations, student groups, and others to sign the letter. You can also ask them to write their own letters or pass resolutions calling for the swift capture and arrest of Quiboloy.

3. Educate, organize, and mobilize broad support for migrant women, especially for the women and youth who were wrongfully trafficked by Quiboloy and his accomplices

4. Sign the Petition to Shutdown SMNI and Quiboloy on META and Twitter