Philippine 'Son of God' preacher pleads not guilty to sex trafficking By Reuters

MANILA (Reuters) – Philippine celebrity priest Apollo Quiboloy, who calls himself the chosen Son of God, pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking charges on Friday, his lawyer said.

“He is innocent,” lawyer Israelto Torreon told reporters after appearing in court in Manila. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for October, Torreon said.

Quiboloy is also expected to file his request on Friday regarding child abuse charges before another court.

“It is our firm belief that the truth about the alleged criminal activities of Apollo C. Quiboloy and his co-conspirators will eventually be revealed,” said Joana Paula Domingo, counsel for the deceased, in a statement released before the incident. morning proceedings.

“It is noteworthy that these cases were opened in 2019 and we have been seeking justice for the plaintiff since then,” he said.

Quiboloy and four other suspects arrived in a mini police bus about 45 minutes before they were charged. Handcuffed and wearing an orange prison shirt, the preacher was almost invisible under a bulletproof helmet and vest.

Quiboloy, who faces a string of charges in the Philippines and the United States including sex trafficking, money laundering and child abuse, was arrested on Sunday after a week-long search of his church's 30-hectare (74-acre) compound by. more than 2,000 security personnel.

When he was asked by a reporter when he arrived at the court what was his message to the fans, he said “tatag lang, tatag lang”, the Filipino words that mean 'stay strong, stay strong'.

Quiboloy is followed by millions of people in the Philippines, where church leaders play a major role in politics. He is a longtime friend of former president Rodrigo Duterte.