Washington has taken a decisive legal step in its pursuit of detained Filipino televangelist Apollo Carreon Quiboloy, formally transmitting an extradition request to Philippine authorities — nearly a year after the United States first made its interest in obtaining custody of the self-proclaimed "Appointed Son of God" publicly known. Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez confirmed the development on Thursday, August 6.
"The formal request was transmitted to the Department of Justice," Romualdez said, as quoted by Philstar.
Two unnamed senior Philippine officials, speaking separately to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity, disclosed that the request had been routed through the Department of Foreign Affairs to the Department of Justice back in July. Both officials noted that any actual surrender of Quiboloy to American authorities would require the green light from the two Philippine courts currently handling separate criminal proceedings against him.
DOJ Says It Has Yet to Officially Receive Documents
Despite the ambassador's announcement, the Department of Justice said on the same Thursday that it had not yet officially received any document formally establishing the US extradition request. The DOJ clarified that under the Philippine-US Extradition Treaty, the Department of Foreign Affairs serves as the designated first point of contact, and that initial inquiries must be directed there first, Philstar reported.
The US Embassy in Manila, meanwhile, did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to The Manila Times.
The transmission of a formal extradition request is a procedurally significant milestone — it sets in motion the process under which Philippine authorities must begin evaluating Washington's petition pursuant to the bilateral extradition treaty. Under existing Philippine law, the DOJ reviews the adequacy of submitted documents and, if deemed sufficient, designates a government attorney to file an extradition petition before a trial court.
Federal Charges and FBI Most Wanted Status
Quiboloy's legal troubles in the United States date back to 2021, when a US federal grand jury indicted him on multiple serious charges. According to Philstar, those charges include conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; sex trafficking of children; substantive sex trafficking; conspiracy; and bulk cash smuggling.
A federal arrest warrant was subsequently issued on November 10, 2021, after which Quiboloy was placed on the FBI's most wanted list. The bureau's Los Angeles field office is managing the case.
American federal prosecutors allege that Quiboloy, together with other Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) officials, recruited women and young girls to serve as personal assistants — designated within the organization as "pastorals" — and coerced them into sexual acts. The FBI's wanted notice further describes an alleged labor trafficking scheme involving church members brought into the United States using fraudulently secured visas to solicit funds for what prosecutors characterize as a fraudulent charitable organization.
Quiboloy has categorically denied all the accusations, maintaining that they were invented by critics and disgruntled former church members who had been removed from his organization, Philstar and the Seymour Tribune both reported.
Domestic Cases Complicate Extradition Timeline
Currently held in Philippine detention, Quiboloy is facing child and sexual abuse charges before a Quezon City court, while he and several co-accused also face non-bailable qualified human trafficking charges before a Pasig court. These ongoing domestic proceedings add a significant layer of legal complexity to the US extradition push.
The DOJ stated in 2025 that local jurisdiction generally takes precedence over foreign extradition requests, meaning the active domestic cases could substantially delay — or at least complicate — any transfer of Quiboloy to US custody. Crucially, it is the courts rather than the executive branch alone that hold authority over those proceedings, according to Philstar.
As a result, the two Philippine courts handling Quiboloy's cases exercise considerable influence over when — or even whether — he can ultimately be handed over to American authorities.
Compound Raid and Eventual Arrest in 2024
Quiboloy had gone into hiding in 2024 following a Philippine court order for his arrest. His evasion of authorities ended in September 2024, when some 2,000 police officers conducted a large-scale raid on the KOJC's sprawling 30-hectare compound in Davao City, the Seymour Tribune reported. Quiboloy, along with four others, eventually surrendered following the operation.
He was formally taken into custody on September 8, 2024, and has remained incarcerated ever since, according to Philstar.
A Once-Powerful Kingmaker Now Facing Multiple Prosecutions
At the peak of his public prominence, the 76-year-old preacher wielded considerable political clout and served as a spiritual adviser to former President Rodrigo Duterte, as reported by the Seymour Tribune. Duterte himself is currently detained at The Hague, where he faces crimes against humanity charges before the International Criminal Court.
Quiboloy established the KOJC in Davao City in 1985 and claims a broad following both within the Philippines and internationally, including a notable presence in the United States, CBS17 reported.
By the Numbers
- 2021 — Year a US federal grand jury indicted Quiboloy on multiple charges
- November 10, 2021 — Date the federal arrest warrant against Quiboloy was issued
- 2,000 — Police officers deployed in the large-scale raid on the KOJC compound in Davao City
- 30 hectares — Size of the KOJC compound raided by Philippine authorities
- September 8, 2024 — Date Quiboloy was officially taken into custody in the Philippines
- 1985 — Year Quiboloy founded the Kingdom of Jesus Christ in Davao City
- 76 — Quiboloy's current age
Why This Matters
The official filing of the US extradition request marks a major escalation in the international legal pursuit of Quiboloy, who stands accused of grave offenses including child sex trafficking and bulk cash smuggling before American federal courts. The existence of two active, non-bailable domestic cases in the Philippines, however, introduces substantial legal uncertainty around the timeline for any actual transfer to US custody, since local proceedings take legal precedence over foreign extradition requests. Beyond Quiboloy himself, the case underscores a broader reckoning with influential figures from the Duterte era — with both the televangelist and the former president now simultaneously confronting prosecution on separate fronts, one in Philippine courts and one before an international tribunal.
Source: Philstar, The Manila Times, Associated Press, Seymour Tribune, CBS17