Arrested Philippine televangelist confronted in the Senate by women he’s accused of sexually abusing
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Former followers of an arrested Filipino televangelist confronted him in a Senate hearing Wednesday, accusing him of repeatedly abusing them sexually by portraying the assaults as their religious duty to the “appointed son of God.”
Apollo Carreon Quiboloy, who was brought to the Senate under heavy police security, denied the allegations from several women, including some from Ukraine as well as the Philippines. He challenged his accusers to file criminal complaints so he could face them in court.
The 74-year-old preacher said he could not discuss his response because criminal charges against him, including sexually abusing women and human trafficking, were already being heard in two Philippine courts.
Yulya Voronina told the Senate hearing through a video link from Ukraine that Quiboloy and his key aides allegedly forced her and other victims into agreeing to have sex with him through religious deception and coercion.
“They always used the Bible as an instrument to convince us to do it,” she said, adding that at least nine other Ukrainian women became members of Quiboloy’s group, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, based in the southern Philippine city of Davao.
The women took steps to avoid being sexually abused but Voronina said Quiboloy had access to their rooms in the sprawling religious complex, and his aides also helped coerce them into submission.
“If you say, `I don’t want,’ Quiboloy would say, `you will go to hell,’” Voronina said. “They will punish and call us, scold us in a meeting and put us in shame, saying that we were ungrateful because the pastor gave us everything.”
She managed to leave eventually and returned to Ukraine.
Filipina Teresita Valdehueza testified at the Senate hearing that