Philippine court orders arrest of US-wanted preacher Apollo Quiboloy

A Philippine court on Saturday ordered the arrest of celebrity preacher Apollo Quiboloy, who is already jailed in Manila and wanted by the United States on child‑sex‑trafficking charges, moving the case a step closer to possible extradition. The Makati Regional Trial Court issued both an arrest warrant and a hold‑departure order after finding probable cause that Quiboloy committed the offences outlined in the U.S. request.

The move follows a formal extradition request from Washington that was lodged in August. The Philippine Justice Department filed a petition with the lower court on Monday, three months after the U.S. request, triggering a legal requirement that the court hold hearings before it can decide whether to hand Quiboloy over. Under Philippine law, the court must now hear arguments from both sides before making a final determination on extradition.

The court also issued similar orders against two of Quiboloy’s co‑accused, Teresita Dandan and Helen Panilag, both senior officers of his Kingdom of Jesus Christ sect, who remain at large. In the Philippines, Quiboloy is already facing a human‑trafficking trial in Pasig that carries a life sentence, as well as a child‑abuse case in Quezon City, both of which he has denied. A 2021 U.S. grand jury indictment accuses him of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of children, fraud, and bulk‑cash smuggling. The FBI has identified Dandan as the “international administrator” of a fake charity and Panilag as a former top church administrator in the United States. Police say alleged victims were told they were having sex with the “spirit of God” and threatened that “angels of death” would hunt them down if they spoke out. Quiboloy’s sect claims millions of followers, runs a television network, and counted former President Rodrigo Duterte among its allies; he even ran for Senate from prison last year, winning 5.6 million votes but failing to secure a seat.

The next step is a series of court hearings that will decide whether the Philippines will honor the U.S. extradition request. A presidential office spokesperson dismissed claims that the timing was linked to U.S. President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit for the ASEAN summit, calling it a coincidence. If the court approves extradition, it would mark a rare instance of a high‑profile religious leader being sent abroad to face U.S. child‑sex‑trafficking charges, and could signal a tougher stance by Manila on cooperating with foreign law‑enforcement requests.