Key Witness in Quiboloy Case Recants Testimony, Claims Coercion, Bribery

Michael Maurilio alias Rene

Key Witness in Quiboloy Case Recants Testimony, Claims Coercion, Bribery

By Bing Jabadan — Thenationweek.com

June 26, 2025

MANILA, Philippines – The legal battle surrounding the leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, has taken an unexpected twist.

A former Senate witness who previously testified against Quiboloy has recanted his testimony, alleging that he was pressured and paid by Sen. Risa Hontiveros to fabricate stories against the religious leader.

This development casts a shadow on the Senate inquiry and raises serious questions about the integrity of the evidence presented.

In a series of social media posts, Michael Maurilio claimed that his earlier testimony before the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality was entirely fabricated at the behest of Hontiveros.

In February 2023, Maurilio testified that Quiboloy assaulted him and carried firearms.

“Senator Risa Hontiveros paid me to testify against Pastor Apollo Quiboloy,” he stated in his post.

“Everything I and the other witnesses stated in the Senate was fabricated by Senator Risa to undermine the pastor and seize his properties. Now, I am being hunted and threatened by the senator.”

Hontiveros, however, has denied the allegations, dismissing them as “entirely false” and suggesting that Maurilio might have been bribed to recant his testimony.

“My office possesses substantial evidence demonstrating that his current statements are fabricated,” she declared, stressing that all witnesses testified “freely and voluntarily.”

Conflicting Accounts

Maurilio’s initial testimony included claims of Quiboloy beating him for failing to meet design expectations at Glory Mountain.

He also alleged seeing Quiboloy carrying firearms in big bags, and former President Rodrigo Duterte, with his daughter Vice President Sara Duterte, leaving with the bags after visiting the pastor.

The sudden reversal and the conflicting narratives to the Senate inquiry by Maurilio have raised concerns about the reliability of the evidence he presented and the potential for political motivations to influence the proceedings, according to analysts.

Critics of the investigation are now questioning whether the Senate inquiry was driven by a genuine pursuit of justice or by a pre-determined agenda against Quiboloy.

Quiboloy Awaits Trial in Overcrowded Jail

Quiboloy is currently detained in Pasig City jail, awaiting trial on charges of qualified human trafficking and violations of the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act.

Reports said Quiboloy is sharing a cramped 20-square-meter cell with 35 other inmates.

The jail has a congestion rate of 481 percent.

Authorities have maintained that Quiboloy receives no special treatment.

Despite the severity of the charges against the KOJC leader, his legal counsel, Israelito Torreon, has conveyed a message from the pastor, stating, “If it is the will of the Father, I will follow.”

FBI Involvement, Unproven Claims

Quiboloy’s case also involves the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which has issued a wanted poster for Quiboloy, citing charges of sex trafficking, money laundering, and other offenses.

Quiboloy has challenged his accusers to file formal complaints in court, maintaining his innocence and asserting that the accusations are part of a smear campaign against him and his ministry.