Pastor Apollo Quiboloy during a pre-recorded TV interview of the Sonshine Media Network International in Davao City aired on March 12, 2022. Roemari Lismonero, Presidential Photo/File  

The Senate can continue its investigation on televangelist Apollo Quiboloy even if there are existing court cases against him, a veteran senator said Wednesday. 

Sen. Chiz Escudero noted that there is a previous Supreme Court ruling similar to Quiboloy’s case.

The “right against self-incrimination” is not an acceptable excuse to refuse a Senate hearing appearance, he said in a text statement.

“Per the latest ruling of the SC in Romero vs. Senate, the pendency of a case does not prevent the Senate from conducting its own investigation and that the right against self-incrimination is not an excuse not to attend the hearing but may be invoked once at any time after a question is posed on a defendant,” Escudero said.

He also clarified the value of Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri’s signing of the arrest order against Quiboloy.

“The issuance of arrest order is ministerial after he was cited in contempt; Pastor Quiboloy can be discharged from the contempt order after 'appearing' in the hearing personally or virtually,” the senator said.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III noted the strength of Quiboloy’s legal team.

"I know that Pastor Quiboloy has very well known, vigorous, and strong lawyers defending him,” Pimentel said.

For Sen. Robin Padilla who spearheaded the move to junk the contempt ruling against Quiboloy, the only legal direction that the religious leader should take is the Supreme Court.

“Ang nakikita ko po na legal na alternatibo para kay Pastor Quiboloy ay idulog po ito sa Supreme Court,” Padilla said.

Quiboloy may challenge Senate arrest order before Supreme Court, says his lawyer

In a separate text statement, Atty Ferdinand Topacio, a lawyer of Quiboloy, took note that the Senate and the House of Representatives “have already reached their respective conclusions” on the issues that they are pursuing against the religious leader.

Topacio confirmed that Quiboloy’s legal team was looking at seeking “judicial remedies.”

Without mentioning any name, Topacio urged certain quarters to refrain from commenting on Quibioloy’s cases.

"As we prepare to avail of all judicial remedies, we shall now henceforth refrain from specifically commenting on the aforementioned issues out of respect to the courts, and we enjoin the others concerned to exhibit some sense of common decency at long last by doing the same,” Topacio said.

"We now place full reliance on the Judiciary as the final nation of the people's rights, confident that the rights of an innocent man such as Pastor Quiboloy will be vindicated,  and his good name finally cleared,” he added.