Metro Manila, Philippines — Detained religious leader Apollo Quiboloy will join next year’s Senate race as an independent amid questions with his registered political party.
“Given the ongoing intra-party dispute, I am revoking my acceptance as a nominee of Workers’ and Peasants’ Party (WPP),” Quiboloy said in a letter to Commission on Elections Chairman George Erwin Garcia on Monday, Oct. 21.
Quiboloy’s legal counsel, Mark Tolentino, filed the certificate of candidacy on behalf of the leader of the Davao-based Kingdom of Jesus Christ group. Quiboloy is in detention at the Philippine National Police Custodial Facility at Camp Crame, Quezon City pending his child and qualified trafficking cases.
READ: TIMELINE: Legal challenges hounding Pastor Apollo Quiboloy
WPP president Sonny Matula said he was unaware of the signatory to Quiboloy’s certificate of nomination and acceptance (CONA).
“Only three individuals are authorized to sign on behalf of WPP: the Chair, the President, and the Senior Vice President,” Matula said in a post on X. “The other two, Atty Ariel Arias (Chair) and Dr. Oscar Morado (SVP), have also stated that they have no knowledge of signing a CONA for him.”
NewsWatch Plus reached out to Garcia for a comment but has yet to respond as of posting time.
NewsWatch Plus correspondent Daniza Fernandez contributed to this report.
