Philippines 'Son of God' priest pleads not guilty to child abuse, trafficking charges

By Mikhail Flores

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine celebrity pastor Apollo Quiboloy, who calls himself the "Appointed Son of God", pleaded not guilty on Friday to several criminal charges including sexually abusing a child during arraignments in two separate courts, his lawyer said.

Quiboloy, leader of the Philippine-based Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) church which says it has six million followers worldwide, arrived at the heavily guarded Pasig court in a bulletproof helmet and vest.

He told his followers to "stay strong" before police took him into the courtroom.

"He is innocent," his lawyer, Israelito Torreon, told reporters after his client's first arraignment. Quiboloy also pleaded not guilty to the sexual abuse charges at a Quezon city court via teleconferencing.

Quiboloy, a longtime friend of former president Rodrigo Duterte, is on a U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation's "most wanted" list after he was indicted for sexual abuse, human trafficking and other crimes.

He will remain in detention at a police headquarters for now, the police said.

The 74-year old pastor was arrested on Sunday at the KOJC's 30-hectare compound in southern Davao city after a weeks-long police operation.

After his arrest, the police said more people had come forward alleging they had been sexually abused by him.

"It is our firm belief that the truth regarding the alleged criminal acts of Apollo C. Quiboloy and his co-accused will ultimately be disclosed," Joahna Paula Domingo, a co-counsel for one of the alleged victims, said in a statement.

"These cases have been filed in 2019 and we have long been seeking justice for the complainant since then," she said.

In a statement issued by KOJC ahead of Quiboloy's arraignment, the church said that its "cardinal rule" was that members are "not forced to do anything against their will."

(Reporting by Mikhail Flores; Additional Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by John Mair and Miral Fahmy)