Pasig court denies Quiboloy’s house arrest plea

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The court rejects Apollo Quiboloy’s attempt to invoke the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners to back his motion for house arrest, stating that the rules are meant to direct prison personnel and not the court

MANILA, Philippines – The Regional Trial Court Branch 159 in Pasig City denied on Wednesday, March 12, doomsday preacher Apollo Quiboloy’s motion for a house arrest for lack of merit.

Quiboloy begged the court to place him under house arrest and to have him stay at either the Garden of Eden Restored in Davao City, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ Compound in Quezon City or its sister-compound in Tagaytay City.

His motion highlighted his medical situation and “humanitarian considerations” to ensure that Quiboloy is given the appropriate care while respecting judicial custody requirements. 

In an order signed by Acting Presiding Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa, the court found that mere claims of the “potential deterioration” of the pastor’s health, while in detention, was not enough to justify the granting of his house arrest.

At present, Quiboloy is detained at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) facility in Pasig City, pending his upcoming March 21 hearing for charges of trafficking and abuse.

“Likewise, the Court maintains that the health of accused Quiboloy can be safeguarded while in detention through medical interventions available at the BJMP clinic,” the court’s order read.

Not justified

The court said that a motion grounded on “humanitarian consideration and medical reasons” had no basis in the Rules of Criminal Procedure nor the 1987 Constitution.

Quiboloy’s motion cited the cases of De La Rama v. People’s Court, Enrile v. Sandiganbayan, and the cases of former presidents Joseph Ejercito Estrada and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, to back his plea for house arrest. 

However, the court said that the jurisprudence in those cases could not apply to him since the accused in the mentioned cases were granted house arrest in connection with petitions for bail. 

“Which is distinct and not analogous to the situation of accused Quiboloy,” the court order read.

Quiboloy’s charge for qualified human trafficking is a non-bailable offense. 

Additionally, the court also rejected the doomsday preacher’s invoking of the Nelson Mandela Rules or the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners to support his motion.

The court stressed that the Nelson Mandela Rules only prescribe the minimum standards for the treatment of prisoners and were crafted to direct prison personnel, not the court, to uphold the safety and dignity of the detained.

“The Nelson Mandela Rules are not intended to establish a legal foundation for house arrest but are instead aimed at promoting the humane treatment of prisoners, ensuring that they are afforded their inherent dignity and human rights, irrespective of their legal status or gravity of their offenses,” the court said. 

In October 2024, Quiboloy’s request for a house arrest was also denied by the same court.

As of this writing, Rappler has reached out to Quiboloy’s camp for a statement on the issue but has yet to receive any reply. This article will be updated with their statement. – Rappler.com