President Rodrigo Roa Duterte shares a lighthearted moment with Kingdom of Jesus Christ Founder and Executive Pastor Apollo Quiboloy aboard a flight to Davao City on October 5, 2019. (KING RODRIGUEZ/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)
MANILA, Philippines โ The United States has formally requested the extradition of Apollo Quiboloy, who faces federal charges in California related to sex trafficking, child exploitation and other alleged crimes.
On Wednesday, Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez and the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Washington transmitted its formal extradition request to the Department of Justice through diplomatic channels.
Lawyer Israelito Torreon, Quiboloy’s legal counsel, said they had not yet received official notice of the request and declined to comment.
The request signals a significant step in a yearslong legal case that spans both the United States and the Philippines. Quiboloy, a self-styled “Son of God” preacher, remains in Philippine government custody while facing separate criminal charges involving alleged human trafficking and child sexual abuse.
Quiboloy, founder of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), also known as Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name, claims millions of followers in the Philippines and abroad. The influential preacher was a longtime ally and spiritual adviser of former President Rodrigo Duterte. He has since denied all allegations against him.
A federal grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California indicted Quiboloy and several associates in 2021 on charges, including conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, sex trafficking of children and bulk cash smuggling.
U.S. prosecutors claim that recruiters targeted girls and young womenโsome as young as 12 and up to 25โpressuring them to serve as โpastoralsโ or personal assistants, forcing them to perform household work, and then coercing them into sexual acts through threats of physical abuse, verbal intimidation, and spiritual punishment. Some of Quiboloy’s alleged crimes occurred in California. Prosecutors have also accused Quiboloy and his associates of fraud, money laundering, and immigration-related violations.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation previously placed Quiboloy on its most-wanted list.
Philippine authorities arrested Quiboloy in September 2024 after a weekslong search that ended at the KOJC compound in Davao City. He has remained in detention while facing separate Philippine charges, including qualified human trafficking and child sexual abuse. He has pleaded not guilty in the local cases.
Under the Philippines-U.S. extradition treaty, the Department of Justice must first evaluate the U.S. request before filing an extradition petition in Philippine courts. The courts will determine whether the legal requirements for extradition have been met.
Legal experts say the extradition process could be prolonged because Quiboloy is already facing criminal prosecution in the Philippines. Domestic court proceedings, temporary surrender arrangements or the resolution of local cases could affect the timing of any transfer to U.S. authorities.
In the meantime, the “Son of God” preacher will remain in Philippine custody while Philippine courts continue hearing the domestic criminal cases and authorities process the U.S. extradition request.
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