Senator Risa Hontiveros said Wednesday her camp is preparing a legal response against a man who claimed that he was influenced by the lawmaker to testify against former President Rodrigo Duterte, Vice President Sara Duterte, and pastor Apollo Quiboloy.
This was in relation to the circulating video of an alias “Rene,” which was posted Tuesday night on the Pagtanggol Valiente social media account. The man, who identified himself as Michael Maurilio, claimed that Hontiveros made him speak against the Dutertes and Quiboloy, adding that everything he and other witnesses said in the hearings of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality were fabricated.
Hontiveros, who led the series of hearings, denied the allegations, saying that these were mere “lies.”
“Sangkaterba ang ebidensiya ng aking opisina na magpapatunay na gawa-gawa lang ang pahayag ngayon ng taong iyan. All witnesses presented during the Quiboloy Senate hearings freely and voluntarily offered their testimonies and the evidence they carried,” she said.
(My office has a lot of evidence that will prove that that person’s statement today was fabricated.)
“Lahat ng iyan ay may paper trail and readily corroborated by multiple agencies and officials. Handa rin kami na ilabas ang iba’t-ibang screenshot at video sa tamang panahon,” she added.
(All of that is supported by paper trail and is readily corroborated by multiple agencies and officials. We are also ready to release various screenshots and videos at the right time.)
The senator said she believes that alias Rene was “coerced or paid off to derail the ongoing criminal proceedings against Quiboloy, and disturbingly, threaten [her] staff and the witnesses who spoke out against Quiboloy’s heinous crimes.”
“Ganyan sila kadesperado. We are preparing our serious legal response against this act of harassment and intimidation. Hindi namin palalampasin ang mga nasa likod ng pananakot na ito,” Hontiveros said.
(That’s how desperate they are. We are preparing our serious legal response against this act of harassment and intimidation. We will not spare those behind this intimidation.)
Sworn statement
In the posted video, alias Rene said Hontiveros’ office inserted additional details in his affidavit.
“Ako po ‘yung witness na kinuha ni Senator Risa Hontiveros na nakatakip ang mukha. Pero ngayon, hindi na, sapagkat nagsasabi na ako ng totoo,” alias Rene said.
(I was the witness of Senator Risa Hontiveros whose face was covered during the Senate hearing. Now, I no longer conceal my face because I speak the truth.)
“Nandu’n din ‘yung alegasyon na diumano ay nasaksihan ko ang tungkol sa mga baril na sangkot sina Sara Duterte at dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na hindi naman totoo dahil wala naman akong nasaksihan na gano’ng pangyayari,” he added.
(There were also allegations that I witnessed supposed incidents about firearms involving Sara Duterte and former President Rodrigo Duterte. These are untrue because I did not witness any such event.)
Testimony
In February last year, a man identified as alias Rene was presented as a witness in the Senate committee hearing on the alleged abuses of the Quiboloy-led religious group, Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC).
The man claimed that the Quiboloy hurt him, and that the former was sexually abused by several KOJC members.
Moreover, he said he witnessed Rodrigo and Sara Duterte carrying firearms when they visited Quiboloy.
“Minsan po pumupunta din doon si former President Rodrigo Duterte at former mayor Sara Duterte, at pag-umaalis na po sila doon sa tent, dala na po nila ‘yung mga bag, na siya pong bag na nilalagyan po ng mga baril,” he said during a Senate hearing.
(There were times when former President Rodrigo Duterte at former mayor Sara Duterte came over. When they would leave the tent, they carried bags where firearms would be put inside.)
GMA Integrated News has reached out to the Pagtanggol Valiente account, but the account owner has yet to respond as of posting time. Efforts have also been made to contact the Quiboloy and Duterte camps regarding the matter.
Quiboloy is facing charges under Section 5(b) and Section 10(a) of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act.
He is also facing a non-bailable qualified human trafficking charge under Section 4(a) of Republic Act No. 9208, as amended, before a Pasig court.
He has also been indicted by a federal grand jury in the US District Court for the Central District of California for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion; conspiracy; and bulk cash smuggling.
Quiboloy went into hiding after the Senate issued an arrest order against him for failing to attend its hearings.
He was caught by authorities in September 2024. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
