Palace distances self from Quiboloy’s brief detention in Hawaii

February 16, 2018

Malacanang distanced itself on Friday from the issue hounding President Rodrigo Duterte's friend Davao-based evangelist Apollo Quiboloy who was briefly detained in Hawaii after his private plane was found to have huge amount of cash and gun parts.

In a radio interview, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Quiboloy is a private person.

"(A)nd the president knows that he (Quiboloy) can protect himself," he said.

Quiboloy, founder of Kingdom of Jesus Christ, was detained for a day after the federal agents discovered undeclared $350,000 in cash hidden in socks and gun parts inside his private plane, a news report said.

He arrived in Manila on Thursday night and went straight to Davao City.

Another female person on the private aircraft was arrested after she allegedly claimed ownership of the cash.

Quiboloy's spokesman Israelito Torreon denied the religious leader was detained in Hawaii.

He also said Quiboloy did not violate any US law.  Quiboloy was Duterte's spiritual adviser when he was running for the presidency.

He even lent Duterte, then Davao City mayor, his private plane when the latter was campaigning. Celerina Monte/DMS