Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, leader of the religious sect Kingdom of Jesus Christ on May 7, 2016. Fernando G. Sepe, Jr., ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA (UPDATED) -- A Senate panel led by Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday cited in contempt controversial pastor Apollo Quiboloy after he again failed to physically attend the Senate inquiry into his alleged sexual abuses against Kingdom of Jesus Christ members.

Hontiveros, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality also declared that she would be requesting Quiboloy’s arrest order from the Senate leadership.

This, while taking note of the content of the letter submitted to the committee by Atty Melanio Elvis Balayan, legal counsel of Quiboloy, which questioned the agenda and jurisdiction of the hearing over the pastor.

"I quote a short portion -- compelling Pastor Quiboloy to appear before a committee that already pronounced him guilty would be violative of his constitutional right against self-incrimination and to be presumed innocent unless proven guilty," Hontiveros quoting the letter submitted to the committee by the KOJC leader’s legal counsel.

"Hindi po uubra ang ganitong excuse," Hontiveros said. "As chair of the committee and with the concurrence of one member here with me, I cite in contempt Apollo Carreon Quiboloy for his refusal to appear before this committee."

"This committee requests the senate president to order his arrest," she added.

-- ROBIN TO THE RESCUE --

But just minutes after Hontiveros made the ruling, Quiboloy’s friend, Senator Robin Padilla joined the hearing and raised an objection to the panel chairperson’s ruling.

"Ipagpaumanhin na po ninyo, akin pong tinututulan ang naging pasya na ma-contempt si Pastor Quiboloy with all due respect," panel member Padilla said.

With such an objection, Hontiveros cannot formally ask Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri to order Quiboloy’s arrest.

READ: Quiboloy still in Philippines, just being cautious — lawyer

Under the Senate Rules, Padilla has seven days to submit his written objection to the panel along with the signature of at least eight of the 14 members of the committee, for him to junk Hontiveros’s contempt ruling. 

In relation to this, Hontiveros repeatedly called on her colleagues.

"Manindigan kasama ng ating mga OFW. Manindigan kasama ng ating mga kababayang biniktima ni Quiboloy para i-sustain yung pag-cite sa kanila in contempt. Para ma-follow-up ko sa Senate President na pa-appear-in na sya dito," Hontiveros said.

The committee has 11 regular members:

• Risa Hontiveros – chairperson
• Nancy Binay – vice chairperson
• Pia Cayetano
• Cynthia Villar
• Grace Poe
• Imee Marcos
• Robinhood Padilla
• Raffy Tulfo
• Christopher Go
• JV Ejercito, and
• Mark Villar

The panel’s 'Ex Officio Members' are: Loren Legarda, Joel Villanueva and Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III.

READ: Tolentino reminds Senate of Quiboloy's constitutional rights amid summons

-- TALE OF ALLEGED EX-KOJC MEMBERS --

After the hearing, domestic helper Reynita Fernandez said that aside from the 10 percent tithes from her salary, members like her are also required to give an "offering" along with other donations for Quiboloy’s activities.

Fernandez said she had to work, solicit, sell items and even loan to meet the requirements, only to be swamped by debts.

"The more tithes you will give, the more blessings you will get. So, because of that, I lost my house," Fernandez told the panel. "Hindi na ako makabayad ng house, my mortgage, and everything."

"I owe a lot because there has never been a stop of the giving … Parang sasabihin nila, you need to practice your faith, you need to produce something out of nothing, if you are in the kingdom you have to have the thick face for the father (God)."

Fernandez said that Quiboloy’s camp also allegedly sneaked in members to Singapore.

"Dito sa Singapore, you can only work based on your visa. To make it legal, ang ginagawa nila is, nagbabayad sila ng tao na taga rito sa Singapore to stand for them as an employer," she said. "So, in that way, every worker, they can go house to house every day, like from morning until night."

"We also use the name of one of the old homes here kasi pag nalaman ng mga tao na, 'Oh you're doing this for the old people,' so they would give more money," she added. "But in fact actually we only remit tiny bit and everything with the rest of money will go to Davao City, to Quiboloy."

Another former KOJC member, Dindo Maquiling who was a store manager in Canada, accused Quiboloy of using children as fronts.

"Sabi ko, oh my God, sabi ko ito na yung afternoon nahuli siya sa Hawaii kasi, iyon talaga ang sistema nila. Collect money from North America, ikarga nila sa jet para dalhin sa Pilipinas na walang fees, walang bawas," Maquiling said.

He also claimed that Quiboloy orders his followers to enter arranged marriages.

"Nagpakasal po ako sa isang worker na mage-expire na ang visa dahil ako naturuang sumunod … Citizen na siya doon. Then nag-divorce po ako. Nagbiro pa nga ako, ‘Bakit meron pa po bang susunod na pakasalan ako?’... He (Quiboloy) has been doing that modus operandi," Maquiling alleged.

-- CASES AGAINST QUIBOLOY? --

According to the Department of Justice, they will be filing human trafficking and child abuse cases against Quiboloy, and the Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO) is already out.

Two congressmen meanwhile believe that an arrest warrant against Quiboloy from the House of Representatives is also forthcoming.

READ: Remulla orders filing of sexual abuse, trafficking raps vs Quiboloy

-- QUIBOLOY SUPPORTERS PROTEST --

Meanwhile, outside the halls of the Senate, Quiboloy supporters protested along Diokno Boulevard where the Senate is located.

They insisted that Quiboloy is innocent and Hontiveros should resign.

Sought for reaction, Hontiveros said: "Hindi ko babawiin sa iba ang damdamin nila. Pero ang heart and soul ng resolusyon na dinidinig namin ay alang-alang sa katotohanan at hustisya at eventually kapayapaan ng mga victim survivors."