Officials release uncensored mugshots of Philippine 'sex cult' pastor

Officials released mugshots of detained Philippine pastor Apollo Quiboloy following public outrage over earlier censored pictures.

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos on September 10 posted online uncovered photos of the celebrity pastor and his personal aides wearing orange detainee clothing as they were booked by police in Quezon City, the Philippines.

He said: 'No one is above the law. These are the official mugshots of Apollo Quiboloy and the others in connection to the charges they are facing.'

The Philippine National Police (PNP) angered locals after releasing the high-profile suspects' mugshots with their faces blurred.

PNP spokesman Colonel Jean Fajardo said: 'This is not the first time that PNP released blurred mugshots. Even in previous cases, the arresting units blurred their faces and even removed their names, as per the Commission on Human Rights' order. Remember, they are also presumed innocent until proven guilty.'

Quiboloy and his assistants Jackielyn Roy, Ingrid Canada, Crisente Canada, Sylvia Cemanes were arrested on charges of human trafficking on September 8.

The charismatic preacher surrendered to police following an ultimatum that cops would raid another building in his 30-hectare religious compound believed to be his sex cult. He is now detained at the PNP headquarters in Metro Manila.

PNP chief General Rommel Marbil said in a September 11 statement that several underage girls have reportedly come forward to implicate the televangelist.

He said: 'These so-called ‘inner circle pastorals' were particularly vulnerable, with victims as young as 12 years old. Their testimonies have been crucial in uncovering the full extent of Quiboloy's alleged crimes.

'These courageous victims have spoken up, revealing their harrowing experiences. The abuse they endured shows an alarming pattern of manipulation and exploitation.'

More than 2,000 cops were deployed to serve an arrest warrant for the preacher who leads the Kingdom of Jesus Christ - a Christian sect allegedly with seven million members.

Furious fanatics squared off against the police in late August, leading to 18 arrests for obstruction of justice. Six policemen were injured in the clashes.

The KOJC compound was reported to house a labyrinthine network of underground tunnels and passages, and even a hangar with a taxiway leading to the Davao International Airport.

Quiboloy, who has styled himself an 'Appointed Son of God', is wanted by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation for alleged sex trafficking of children, sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, conspiracy, and bulk cash smuggling. He also allegedly traffics members around the world, with an inner circle of women who perform what they call 'nighttime duties', taking it in turns to sleep with him.

He grew his following through radio, televangelism, and social media.

Quiboloy has ties with the powerful Duterte family ruling local politics in Davao City. He served as spiritual adviser to the vitriolic former President Rodrigo Duterte and allegedly enjoyed the politician's protections until he stepped down in 2022.