Pastor Apollo Quiboloy (Sonshine Media Network International’s Facebook page)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The spokesperson of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy on Friday morning, February 16, clarified that the reported detention of Quiboly in Hawaii over stash of cash and gun parts found in his private plane was a “normal and routine procedure” for departing aircraft and that the issue was just “blown out of proportion”.
Lawyer Israelito Torreon, said in a morning television show, that the report by HawaiiNewsNow.com Hawaii broadcast and online news outfit was “surprising” saying the Pastor “just undergone a routine check in America”.
“As a matter of fact, he is now here in the Philippines. The fact that he is here in the Philippines proves that there is no committed crime in America,” he added.
”Maybe they found something [in the private plane] but it was already clarified with US authorities,” Torreon said.
Torreon said he has talked four times with Quiboloy who asked him to assure the followers of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ that he founded and headed that he was “well and safe”.
Authorities in Honolulu, Hawaii temporarily detained Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, founder, and leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ on Tuesday, February 13 after they found $350,000 cash and parts to assemble military-style rifles on board a private jet, according to the Hawaii broadcast and online news outfit, HawaiiNewsNow.com.
Apollo Quiboloy was along with five others on board a private Cessna Citation Sovereign bound for the Philippines when US Customs and Border Enforcement agents boarded it before its departure, according to the
Quiboloy is a long-time ally of President Rodrigo Duterte, where the religious leader openly campaigns for Duterte during 2016 presidential elections. Duterte even admitted that Quiboloy has given him properties and cars when he guested at the latter’s late-night television show during the campaign period.
The report said, “Customs and Border Enforcement agents boarded [the plane]…and found tens of thousands of dollars in cash — all in $100 bills neatly folded and stuffed inside socks in a suitcase.”
Also found on the plane were parts to assemble military-style rifles, according to HawaiiNewsNow.com sources.
Based on the report, Quiboloy was detained for a day and later took a commercial flight back to the Philippines.
“Detention implies he [Quiboloy] committed a crime and he violated any US law We have to clarify that he was not detained and he did not violate any US law,” Torreon said.
He added, “if there was crime committed, he would have been ordered to stay there… But that’s not what happened he is here in the Philippines so therefore just relax.”
Toreon opt not to comment regarding the gun parts and cash recovered on the plane.
“As to the details whetther or not money was taken and gun parts were taken these are handled by my american counterparts and I would be hypocrite if I would say anything about it. In the first place I was not there.”
The report said one Felina Salinas, 47, of Makakilo in Hawaii who claims to be Quiboloy’s supporter was the only US citizen on board and the only one arrested after claiming the cash inside a suitcase was hers.
Salinas only declared $40,000, but not the $350,000 found in the plane. She was charged with attempted bulk cash smuggling since the Federal law requires anyone taking more than $10,000 out of the country, to declare it.
The federal government is working to seize the $15 million-private plane which remains in Honolulu. (davaotoday.com)
