Manila: The House Committee on Justice, chaired by Batangas 2nd District Representative Gerville Luistro, will launch a motu proprio inquiry into the United States' extradition request for controversial pastor Apollo Quiboloy to clear up what lawmakers described as 'insufficiencies and ambiguities' in the process.
According to Philippines News Agency, the upcoming inquiry was prompted by a written request from Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cenda±a, who urged the Justice panel to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation on Quiboloy's case. Cenda±a emphasized the overwhelming public interest and concern over the process by which extradition requests are received, evaluated, and acted upon. He stated in his letter, read by Luistro during the panel's organizational meeting, that it is imperative for Congress to provide a forum for concerned agencies to clarify the status of the request, explain the legal and procedural steps involved, and identify any gaps or ambiguities in existing laws and treaties.
Committee vice chairman, Bukidnon 2nd district Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores, made the formal motion to carry out the investigation, which Luistro approved after hearing no objection from the members. Luistro highlighted two significant laws that must be addressed: the 1994 extradition treaty between the US and the Philippines, and Presidential Decree 1069 or the Philippine Extradition Law enacted in 1977. She noted that both laws are silent on some pertinent details.
Luistro outlined several issues related to the existing laws on extradition in the Philippines. These include whether an extradition process may be initiated by a foreign country when the extraditee has pending cases in the Philippines, the timeline between the request by the Department of Foreign Affairs and the transmittal to the Department of Justice, and the timeline between the receipt by the DOJ and the filing of the petition for extradition with the proper regional trial court. Additionally, questions were raised about which court shall acquire jurisdiction over the request for extradition.
During the discussions, Flores pointed out that the existing laws do not specify who will exercise authority to choose between temporary surrender and deferred surrender of the extraditee. Luistro, in an interview, clarified that Quiboloy's involvement in the investigation was incidental and emphasized that the inquiry is not about prejudging anyone's guilt. She stressed that the investigation is about upholding the rule of law, honoring treaty commitments, and ensuring that victims see swift, fair, and transparent action.
Luistro concluded by stating that the committee will ask the DOJ and DFA to explain the precise legal options and timeline so that justice is neither delayed nor denied.
