Vice-President Sara Duterte on Monday backed Pastor Apollo Quiboloy's call that he be given his day in court as he faces twin congressional investigations over alleged sexual abuse and violations of Sonshine Media Network Inc's franchise. 

In a video posted on the SMNI website, Duterte said she is siding with Quiboloy's call for justice amid various accusations attacking his character. 

She said Quiboloy's guilt seems to have been predetermined despite Congress' use of witnesses who have spoken anonymously and whose credibility cannot be ascertained. 

She also described as a "media freedom issue" the National Telecommunications Commission's decision to suspend SMNI over alleged franchise violations.

"Hindi biro ang mga pangyayari at paratang na ganito. Nararapat lamang na mabigyan ng patas na laban at sa tamang korte," she said. 

She added: "Lagi po tayong manalangin para sa hustisya at katotohanan. Justice and the truth cannot be achieved in trial by publicity, but by a day in court."

Quiboloy, founder of the Davao-based Kingdom of Jesus Christ, is facing possible arrest after refusing to face a Senate panel hearing on the alleged rape of female church workers. 

Sen. Risa Hontiveros, meanwhile, has rejected Quiboloy's "17 conditions" before he will face the Senate hearing. 

Hontiveros slams Quiboloy’s reported ’17 conditions’

The 17 conditions, which were shared by a group of bloggers, are:

1.     Unmask and show the full faces of your witnesses, no mask, no dark eyeglasses, no caps, bonnets, or head covering of any kind.

2.     Reveal your witnesses’ true name and identity with recent valid photo I.D.’s. reveal the identity and real name with photo I.D. of your scriptwriters

3.     You must sign a notarized waiver of rights of your arbitrary contempt power

4.     You must sign a notarized waiver of your immunity rights

5.      Do not restrict my answer to any questions to a mere “yes” or “no.”

6.     No limit of time for me to ask or answer questions

7.     I retain my right, to only answer questions that are necessary under my discretion

8.     I retain the right to personally cross examine your witnesses that includes you, Madam Chair (no limit)

9.     You must reveal the real amount that you paid to these witnesses whether by way of cash, ATM, credit card, GCash, etc. it must be attested and signed by your witnesses including sources of funds, whether personal or government-related funds

10.  Provide a notarized letter of assurance signed by you and the Senate President that there is no collusion between you and the Senate leadership with the US government, FBI, CIA, US Embassy, State Department Security Officer from Marcos government to illegally arrest me through provisionary or extraordinary rendition that includes

11.  You must allow my 50 security personnel including a number of police and AFP officers to attend the hearing and secure my perimeter

12.  You must allow me to bring my own witnesses to testify against your witnesses (no time limit)

13.  It must be your own responsibility to secure safety clearance from ATO and CAAP for my private jet to take off and land from Davao International Airport to Manila airport and vice versa smoothly and without trouble in in compliance also of Condition No. 10 of this set of conditions

14.  All expenses incurred from this trip including private jet back and forth with parking in NAIA, food according to my dietary requirements, and fees for accommodation in a five-start hotel for me and my party must be shouldered by your office

15.  The set of conditions must be duly signed by the President of the Philippines and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Martin Romualdez

16.  Send to me the written answers to this set of conditions two days before the scheduled hearing with your signature

17.  Failure to comply to this set of conditions forfeits your chance of my expository attendance, thus rendering your Senate a big joke of shameful charlatans and a shallow exposition of a bunch of idiotic parroting mindless, pathological liars paid and taught by their deceiving lying masters just to read a poorly pwrrepared type written narrative of hellish lies. What a gross embarrassment and insult to the intelligence of decent, dignified, critical thinking people, from which the sake of sanity, we should avoid like a plague.

“Dinaig pa ni Pastor Quiboloy ang Sampung Utos ng Dyos.  Ang masasabi ko lang dyan, BAKIT SENADO ANG MAG-AADJUST SA KANYA?  The Senate will not bend its rules and procedures for you, Pastor Quiboloy, even if you are, as you say, a self-appointed son of God. Hindi kami para utusan mo. You will not mock the system of checks and balances on our watch. This is not up for debate,” Hontiveros said.

For her, the most absurd is the part where Quiboloy demands for an all-expenses paid appearance to the Senate.

“O, huling halimbawa, number 14. All expenses incurred from this trip, yung kanya raw pagpunta rito na ang dami-daming kasama, malaki yung kanyang entourage. All expenses incurred from this trip, including private jet flight back and forth with parking in NAIA, food according to my dietary requirements and fees for accommodation in a five-star hotel for me and my party, must be shouldered by your office."

“So, wow! Kukulangin pa talaga yung ipinalimos niya sa mga tao niya para sa jet fuel. Ito ngayon ay mayroong all expenses for that private jet flight. Merong pang food requirements. At hindi lang four-star, three-star, two-star, one-star, five-star hotel. Magastos po ang resource person natin,” Hontiveros said.