Quiboloy lawyers ready to challenge US extradition bid

National

BEFORE any plane is dispatched to bring Apollo Quiboloy to the United States, his lawyers say the reported extradition bid must first clear a legal hurdle in the Philippines.

The detained Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader’s legal team is prepared to challenge the request once formal proceedings begin, but said it has yet to receive any official notice that an extradition case has been filed.

Ferdinand Topacio, one of Quiboloy’s lawyers, said that the defense has learned about the reported US request only through media reports.

“We have not yet received any summons or official notice that extradition proceedings have begun. So far, our information has come only from media reports,” Topacio said over dzBB, as quoted by Philstar.

Topacio said Quiboloy has already been informed by his lawyers about the reported request. Once the defense is formally served with the petition, he said they will immediately file their response and defend Quiboloy’s rights and interests under the Constitution and Philippine laws.

He described the reported extradition as “extremely unfeasible,” arguing that under internationally recognized principles, a person facing criminal prosecution in one country is generally allowed to complete those proceedings before being surrendered to another jurisdiction.

Topacio also warned against the Philippines relinquishing its jurisdiction to another country, saying this could happen only if the government chose to “meekly surrender its jurisdiction to a foreign power.”

He stressed that any decision on the extradition request would ultimately rest with the judiciary rather than the executive branch.

Meanwhile, the Philippine government is evaluating the US request.

Palace press officer Claire Castro said yesterday that the Department of Justice has received “voluminous records” from Washington through the Department of Foreign Affairs in connection with the extradition request.

Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez said Quiboloy could eventually be brought to Los Angeles, which has jurisdiction over the charges against him.

“They have their own plane to fetch Pastor Quiboloy and take him to the place where the crime supposedly was committed. In this case, maybe Los Angeles,” Romualdez said in the same radio interview.(MyTVCebu)