MANILA (PHILIPPINES)
ABS-CBN [Quezon City, Philippines]
August 8, 2026
By Chalssea Kate Echegoyen
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has begun evaluating the United States’ formal request to extradite Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder Apollo Quiboloy, marking the first step in a legal process that could eventually lead to his surrender to US authorities.
Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez said the request, transmitted through the US Embassy and accepted by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), is now under review by the DOJ’s Office of the State Counsel, the agency tasked with handling extradition proceedings.
US asks Philippines to extradite Quiboloy
“Aaralin nang matindi ng Department of Justice through the Office of State Counsel para tingnan kung ito ay naaayon sa ating extradition law at kung iyan ay consistent sa RP-US Extradition Treaty,” Vasquez said in a DZMM interview on Saturday, August 8.
“Napaka voluminous kasi ng mga documents na pinadala ng US through the US Embassy na pinadaan nila earlier sa Department of Foreign Affairs,” Vasquez added.
Quiboloy is wanted in the United States over a 2021 federal indictment in California charging him with conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, sex trafficking of children, bulk cash smuggling, fraud, and other offenses.
According to US prosecutors, Quiboloy and several co-defendants operated a scheme that brought church members to the United States using fraudulently obtained visas and forced them to solicit donations for a bogus children’s charity.
He said the DOJ’s review will focus on whether the request is supported by sufficient evidence and complies with the requirements of the Philippines’ Extradition Law and the country’s extradition treaty with the United States.
Vasquez said that the RP-US Extradition Treaty and the country’s expedition law are the primary documents that will be used upon its review.
He added that the Office of the State Counsel will be the one to handle the extradition case from the requesting country.
“Aralin mo muna ‘yung dokumento mo kung iyan ba ay sapat, kung may ebidensya ka ba, para umusad, kasi dadaan ito sa korte later on. Magpepetition ka for extradition through the Office of the State Counsel,” Vasquez said.
According to Vasquez, the evaluation could take anywhere from one week to a month before the DOJ decides whether to file a petition for extradition before a Regional Trial Court (RTC).
He stressed that Quiboloy’s extradition is not automatic despite the existing treaty between Manila and Washington.
If the DOJ finds the request sufficient, it will ask an RTC to approve the extradition.
Under the Rules of Court, the RTC has 30 days to decide the petition. The ruling may then be appealed before the Court of Appeals, which has up to 90 days to resolve the case. Either party may still elevate the matter to the Supreme Court through a petition for review.
TWO POSSIBLE SCENARIOS
Should Philippine courts eventually grant the extradition request, Vasquez said the government still has two options under the Philippines-US Extradition Treaty.
The first is to defer Quiboloy’s surrender until his criminal cases in the Philippines have been resolved.
The second is to temporarily surrender him to US authorities to stand trial there before returning him to the Philippines to face his pending local cases.
Quiboloy is currently facing charges of qualified human trafficking and child abuse before a Pasig court.
“Ang importante diyan, nasa atin ‘yung kustodiya. Filipino citizen ‘yan. So, hindi basta-basta, na kapag nakuha ng US, for example, hindi na nila ibabalik,” he said.
Vasquez said the existence of local cases does not necessarily mean extradition must wait until those proceedings are completed.
“That’s a matter that will be decided by the policymakers of our government. Kasi pagdating sa treaty of obligations, ang DFA at ang ating President, being the chief architect of foreign relations, they are the final authority as to what policy to follow in respect to our treaty obligations and our relations with other independent countries,” he said.
“Cases must first be litigated and completed before extradition would have to be implemented. That doesn’t necessarily follow because there is a second option under our RP-US Treaty na nagbibigay ng option sa ating Pamahalaan,” he added.
TREATY OBLIGATIONS
Vasquez said the Philippines must also consider its commitments under the RP-US Extradition Treaty.
Quiboloy extradition: What does the US-PH treaty say?
He warned that refusing to honor a valid extradition request could expose the country to possible violations of its treaty obligations and affect its credibility as an international partner.
“Our treaty obligations have the force of law in the Philippines as well so hindi natin puwedeng sabihin na uunahin muna natin ang soberanya natin at patapusin ang mga kaso rito,” he said.
“We entered into treaties and other obligations with foreign countries to follow and show our rights and pursue our needs to protect also our citizens who are in their territories. That is part and parcel of being a responsible partner or responsible member of the community of nations,” he added.
He added that once courts determine that an extradition request is valid, implementation would largely fall under the Executive branch.
The DOJ’s review follows the DFA’s confirmation that it had received the United States’ formal request to extradite Quiboloy.
“As long as the extradition is supported by evidence, and the Court will so ruled that such a case is valid and lawful, then it will be a matter of implementation later on by the government,” he said.
The KOJC founder is wanted in the US on charges including conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, sex trafficking of children, conspiracy, and bulk cash smuggling.
Quiboloy is currently detained in the Philippines while facing separate non-bailable charges of qualified human trafficking and child abuse before the Pasig Regional Trial Court.
He was arrested in September 2024 after weeks of police operations at the KOJC compound in Davao City, following the issuance of warrants by Philippine courts.
The Philippines and the United States have been bound by an extradition treaty since 1994, which provides the legal framework for surrendering fugitives wanted to face criminal prosecution in either country.
PH to review US extradition request for Quiboloy
Gov’t options on Quiboloy: Hold off on extradition or hand him over to US