MANILA - As the clock ticks for the March 5 Senate summon for Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy, a senator reminded the chamber about the televangelist’s constitutional rights, which must be respected and protected.
 
In a news briefing Monday, Senator Francis Tolentino also underlined the Senate’s applied amendment to its Senate Rules when it comes to their conduct of committee hearings and treatment of resource persons.
 
The amendment was effected last December, before Tolentino relinquished the chairmanship of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.
 
“The rules as amended would apply likewise to persons cited in contempt. So, yung sa pagbabago ng Rules, binigyan po natin ng diin yung karapatang-pantao noong mga humaharap sa committee. So, doon sa atin pong inilagay eh dapat kilalanin din yung kanilang Karapatan as an individual, as a Filipino citizen,” Tolentino, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, explained.
 
“Kung merong pamamaraang ligal na gagawin si Pastor Quiboloy sa pagdulog sa husgado kagaya nung (Romulo) Neri case sa Senado, walang makakapigil sa kanya. At hindi dapat pigilan yun, kasi karapatan nya yun. Kung sakali namang sya ay dadalo sa isang pagdinig ng Senado, kailangan ding igalang ng komite ang kanyang karapatan. Ang ibig sabihin noon, huwag babastusin, wag tatratuhin bilang isang nagkasala na,” he added.
 
Only the court can try a person and eventually determine the guilt or innocence of an individual, Tolentino stressed.
 
The Neri case that Tolentino referred to was about the Supreme Court petition filed by then National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary-General Romulo Neri, which questioned the Senate’s order to detain him.
 
“Ang atin pong gawain dito sa Senado ay to investigate in aid of legislation. It is not the duty of the Senate to condemn and imprison and individual,” Tolentino pointed out.
 
Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, who is among Quiboloy’s legal counsel, said the religious leader’s group of lawyers still need to discuss their legal move in the face of the Senate subpoena and analyze in particular if their client’s constitutional rights are being respected.
 
“Contrary sa paniniwala ng iba, hindi absolute ang power ng Senado na mag-issue ng subpoena. At doon po sa kasong Neri na ang Senado ay hindi hukuman, hindi ito pulis, hindi ito NBI, hindi ito prosecution. Kundi ito ay isang lehislatura na dapat ang lahat ng inquiries are in aid of legislation,” Topacio in a phone interview told ABS-CBN News.
 
“Titingnan namin kung itong pag-subpoena kay Pastor Quiboloy ay talagang in good faith, in aid of legislation o eto ay gagamitin lamang para siya ay siraan, hiyain sa mata ng mga tao o s'ya ay upasalain ni Senator Risa Hointiveros,” he added.
 
Topacio said that they will ensure that Quiboloy will “have resorts to all remedies under the law,” in relation to the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality’s summon on March 5.
 
The Senate committee led by Senator Risa Hontiveros is investigating Quiboloy’s alleged human trafficking, children and women abuse activities.
 
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