Makati court issues extradition warrant on Quiboloy, co-accused in U.S. charges

Apollo Quiboloy, head of "the Kingdom of Jesus Christ," a non-Catholic religious group and spiritual adviser of president-elect Rodrigo Duterte, speaks during a press conference in Davao City in southern island of Mindanao on May 23, 2016.

AFP / Manman Dejeto

MANILA, Philippines — A Makati court has issued extradition warrants against religious leader Apollo Quiboloy and two co-accused following a request from the United States, the Department of Justice said.

The Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 145 issued the warrants on Thursday, November 12 against Quiboloy, Teresita Tolibas Dandan and Helen Panilag after finding probable cause, according to the DOJ. Quiboloy, however, is already detained.

"On 12 November 2026, pursuant to Section 4, Rule 2 of the Rules on Extradition Proceedings, the court issued an Extradition Warrant of Arrest against the foregoing individuals, after finding probable cause that: (a) each extraditee is the person named in the corresponding foreign arrest warrant and indictment, (b) that the offenses charged are extraditable offenses, and (c) that each extraditee committed the offense or offenses charged," the DOJ said.

The court also issued hold departure orders against the three "to prevent any attempt by each of them to depart from the Philippines."

What happens next?

Under the Rules on Extradition Proceedings, the court must personally serve the extraditee with a summons and copies of the petition and its annexes once it receives notice that an arrest has been carried out.

The extraditee then has 15 days from receipt to file a verified answer.

Philstar.com has sought clarification from the DOJ on how Quiboloy and his two co-accused would be brought under the jurisdiction of the Makati court, but the department has yet to respond.

The DOJ earlier said the US extradition request had reached the Makati RTC on November 9.

US criminal allegations

The US case against Quiboloy includes allegations involving international human trafficking, sex trafficking, conspiracy and bulk cash smuggling.

A US federal grand jury indicted Quiboloy in 2021 on charges that include conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, and sex trafficking of children.

US prosecutors have accused Quiboloy and other members of his Kingdom of Jesus Christ organization of recruiting women and girls as personal assistants and coercing them into sex.

In the Philippines, Quiboloy remains detained while facing child and sexual abuse cases before a Quezon City court and a qualified human trafficking case before a Pasig court.