THE Department of Justice (DOJ) said Friday that it was almost ready to file the extradition petition for Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, a known ally of former president Rodrigo Duterte.
“We are just doing some legal scrubbing, and we are in the final stages,” said Acting Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida.
The planned extradition of Quiboloy, leader of religious group Kingdom of Jesus Christ, involves a formal request from the US government to have him transferred to face federal charges in California. Indicted by a US federal grand jury, Quiboloy faces severe allegations including sex trafficking of children, sex trafficking by force, fraud, coercion, and money laundering. While the DOJ is preparing the legal proceedings for the extradition request, implementation depends on local judicial approval, as Quiboloy must either complete his trials and serve potential sentences for ongoing domestic human trafficking and child abuse charges first or be surrendered temporarily to face US courts under the bilateral treaty agreements.
The DOJ said that temporary surrender of the extraditee may be granted, but only after filing a motion in the court where the criminal case is pending.
Vida said that the DOJ wants to ensure that the petition would be in accordance with the extradition treaty with the United States and the latest Supreme Court ruling on the matter.
Quiboloy is presently detained at the Pasig City Jail in connection with the qualified human trafficking and child abuse and exploitation cases filed against him.
