Televangelist Apollo Quiboloy. File photo

Fugitive televangelist Apollo Quiboloy on Saturday said he is not hiding from authorities, and claimed that he is only protecting himself against "extradition".

Authorities have been looking for Quiboloy for the past days after an arrest order from the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms and arrest warrants from the Davao court were issued against him for his failure to attend Senate hearings, as well as the child abuse and sexual abuse charges he is facing.

 "Paliwanag ko po sa inyo. Ako po ay hindi nagtatago sa kaso na ito dahil ako po ay may kasalanan. Hindi po. Ako ay umiiwas dahil pinoprotektahan ko po ang aking sarili, (I want to explain that I am not hiding from these cases hurled against me just because I am guilty of these allegations. I am hiding to protect myself)," he said in an audio recording played on SMNI News Channel.

 Quiboloy claimed that the cases were "simple" and were shelved for four years, but were revived recently.

Quiboloy now a 'fugitive': NBI official 

He said his case is different from those of expelled lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr. and Gerald Bantag.

"Ang sa akin po ay complex, complicated, sapagkat meron po akong ginawang kaso sa Amerika. Ang gumawa ng mga kasong ito ay yun pong mga magnanakaw dito sa bansang kaharian, na noong sila'y nahuli, lumayas at nag-iwan ng kaso kasi mga abugado po yung dalawa doon. (Mine is very complex. It is more complicated because a case was filed in the United States. The ones who made these complaints were thieves here in the Kingdom Nation, when they were caught, they fled and fabricated these cases as two of them were lawyers)," he claimed.

US TRIAL

 Quiboloy said he is awaiting for the trial in the US to take place.

He said that last December, the Philippine government and the United States allegedly conspired to bring him to the American authorities.

He also claimed that his properties were allegedly placed under surveillance and accused the US government of being behind it.

 He said are also preparing in case the authorities will raid their compounds.

 DOJ welcomes issuance of warrant vs Pastor Quiboloy

 "Why? Kasi ang gusto nila ay rendition, extraordinary rendition. Maqaring kidnapping at maaaring assassination. At mayroon pa akong patong na $2 million or P110 million (Why? Because they wanted rendition, extraordinary rendition. It might be through kidnapping or assassination. And there is already a two-million dollar bounty on my head, or P110 million)," he claimed.

The US Embassy in the Philippines earlier said it is confident that Quiboloy will face justice for his alleged crimes. 

The embassy issued the statement after Quiboloy claimed there was a conspiracy between the US and Philippine governments to have him “assassinated.”

“For more than a decade, Apollo Quiboloy engaged in serious human rights abuses, including a pattern of systemic and pervasive rape of girls as young as 11 years old, and he is currently on the FBI’s Most Wanted List,” said US Embassy spokesperson Kanishka Gangopadhyay in a statement.

Quiboloy, who calls himself the "Appointed Son of God", is currently facing 43 counts of various charges in the US. 

Quiboloy, 2 others in related cases placed on FBI’s most wanted list 

Quiboloy also claimed that the House probe against SMNI is a "theatrical play". 

"Kongreso po, walang dahilan, pinapatawag ako. Lahat ng pangyayari doon puro moro-moro lang po yon. Pagkatapos ako pilit nila akong pina-attend kahit nakita na nila sa mga dokumento na hindi po ako kasali na sa mga official ng SMNI. Pero pinipilit pa rin nila akong pumunta. Bakit? Yun po ay patibong. Sapagkat anytime pag pumunta ako doon, siguradong ang end game ay pupunta ka sa kamay ng puti," he claimed.

(In Congress, they demanded our presence unreasonably. Those series of hearings were just "theatrical play". They desperately wanted me to attend, even though, we have already submitted necessary documents that I am no longer involved in the operations as an official of SMNI. They wanted me to be present in the hearings. It was a trap. If I decide to come, the end game is that they will capture me and bring me before the American authorities.)

 Despite an arrest order from the Senate and arrest warrants from the court, Quiboloy has refused to surrender.

"Yung sinasabi nilang wala akong hold departure order, pagkatapos sasabihin nila magiging madugo kung papasok sila dito sa aking compound. Yun po ay mga patibong din. Ang ibig nilang sabihin, umalis ka diyan kasi magiging madugo. Lalo po akong hindi aalis. Kasi ako ay tatayo sa mga illegal na activities na gagawin nila na paglusob," he claimed.

(When they said I have no hold departure order? Then they said it would be bloody if they entered my compound. Those are also traps. What they mean is to leave because it will be bloody. I will not leave because I will stand up against the illegal activities that they will do during the attack.)

“Bakit nila ginawang bailable itong dito sa Davao, para ako'y lumitaw at pumunta doon. Tapos naghihintay yung sergeant-at-arms na may warrant of arrest. Dadalhin nila ako sa Manila. Yun po ang end game, extraordinary rendition pa rin," he alleged.

PNP Davao says no special treatment for Quiboloy

(Why did they make this bailable here in Davao, so I would appear and go there? Then the sergeant-at-arms is waiting with a warrant of arrest, they will take me to Manila, that's the end game. It's still an extraordinary rendition.)

Quiboloy also alleged that he will be killed if he will be handed over to US authorities.

CONDITIONS FOR SURRENDER 

Quiboloy issued conditions before he surrenders to the authorities.

He said he will face any courts, as long as the president and the secretary of justice, will make a written guarantee to him that the US will not meddle in his case, even though Quiboloy also faces criminal charges in the US.

Davao police serve arrest warrant vs Quiboloy over sex, child abuse cases

"Ako po pag nahuli ninyo, hindi ako magpapahuli ng buhay. Barilin na lang ninyo ako. Kung ako ay huhulihin ninyo, hindi ninyo ako mahuhuli ng buhay maliban kung ibigay ninyo ang garantiya na hinihiling ko sa inyo, (If you will get me, you won't get me alive, just shoot me. If you will get me, you will not get me alive, except if you will give me the guarantee that I am asking for you)" he said. 

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Saturday urged Quiboloy to surrender.

“Yung dalawang warrant of arrest ay bailable naman po at mae-ensure naman ang safety and security naman nya po,” Police Maj. Catherine Dela Rey, Police Region XI spokesperson, said in a TeleRadyo Serbisyo interview on Saturday.

SEXUAL ABUSE, CHILD ABUSE CASES

Dela Rey explained that although there are existing warrants of arrest against Quiboloy for sexual abuse and child abuse, these are all bailable for P200,000 and P80,000, respectively.

Earlier, the other five co-accused of Quiboloy surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and PNP but were released after they posted bail.

Dela Rey also said that they are coordinating with different law enforcement agencies to monitor Quiboloy’s whereabouts.

Police believe that Quiboloy has not fled overseas.