On Tuesday (Sept. 14), Senator Manny Pacquiao filed a P100-million libel and cyber libel case with the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office against religious sect leader and self-proclaimed “Appointed Son of God” and “Owner of the Universe” Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, who is also President Duterte’s spiritual adviser.
Pacquiao personally traveled to the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday morning to file a case against Quiboloy, alleging that the senator misappropriated funds for the unfinished Sarangani Sports Training Center. Quiboloy further claimed that the project cost the government P3.5 billion.
“Patawarin ako ng Panginoon pero hindi po talaga ‘yan (Quiboloy) totoong pastor kasi gumagawa siya ng mga fabricated story. ‘Yung video na kinunan nila, ‘yung pinalabas nila, building po yoon nung maliit na bata pa ako, nung 1996 pa,”
(May God forgive me, but he is not a true pastor because he makes fabricated stories. The video they showed was a building that existed when I was young, in 1996.)
Pacquiao earlier said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel.
“’Yung buildings na ipinatayo natin, hindi pinakita,”
(They did not show the buildings we have built)
he added, saying that funding for sports facilities in Sarangani only amounted to P300 million to 500 million.
According to Pacquiao’s 13-page complaint, Quiboloy should pay P100 million in damages plus attorney fees “for utilizing his power and influence to promote bogus news and false information.”
“He used this deliberate falsehood to brainwash the minds of the Filipino public, recklessly propagating lies to blacken the image and reputation of an honest public servant. He even had the audacity to quote the Holy Scripture in furtherance of his lies, misleading his flock, and confusing the public, with the end in view of blackening another’s reputation,”
the complaint said.
Pastor Apollo Quiboloy owns Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI).