Police secure Kingdom of Jesus Christ Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and his co-accused as they leave the Pasig City Regional Trial Court on September 12, 2024, after pleading not guilty to charges of qualified human trafficking. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

(UPDATED) Detained televangelist Apollo Quiboloy has revoked his acceptance of nomination of the Workers' and Peasants’ Party and will run instead as an independent candidate for senator in the 2025 midterm elections.

Atty. Mark Tolentino filed on Monday the letter of Quiboloy addressed to Comelec Chairman George Garcia, saying Quiboloy does not want to be involved in the “intra-party dispute” of the WPP.

Apollo Quiboloy, detained KOJC founder, files candidacy for senator

“Para walang problema kasi baka may intra party dispute ayaw ma involve ni Pastor so nirevoke po niya ang kanyang acceptance ng certificate of nomination na WPP ang nag issue,” Tolentino told reporters. 

“Nagpapasalamat pa rin si Pastor sa nomination and he will maintain pro-God, pro-Filipino and pro-Philippines platform of government,” he said, adding, “With or without a party, Pastor Quiboloy can run a campaign.”

Senatorial aspirant and labor leader Sonny Matula welcomed the development, saying the WPP will not allow itself to be used by Quiboloy as he reiterated there is no faction within the party. 

“Sa tingin ko, isang positibong pangyayari ito. Hindi namin papayagan na gamitin kami o ihijack  ni Pastor Apollo Quiboloy o ng kanyang mga tagapayo ang WPP bilang pantakip sa anumang pampulitikang plano nila,” Matula said. 

“Nais ko ring linawin na walang anumang paksiyon sa loob ng Workers’ and Peasants’ Party (WPP). Ang pahayag na mayroong alitan sa partido ay walang batayan at produkto lamang ng kanilang malikot na pampulitikang imahinasyon.

Garcia said this does not affect the determination of the Comelec regarding the partial list of 66 possible legitimate candidates for the senatorial elections which included Quiboloy. 

“Walang effect whatsoever sa nilabas naming resolusyon. Now if somebody will file a petition against a candidate that is a different matter altogether. But in the meantime we have not received any particular petition, kung yun lang ay pagtatanggal ng nomination, it does not affect the determination of the law department and the Comelec en banc in general,” he said.

Matula wants Quiboloy disqualified from senatorial race

Tolentino earlier introduced himself as chairman and president of WPP and that his group will still support the candidacy of Quiboloy. 

Matula, in response, filed a petition with the Comelec to cancel the certificate of nomination and acceptance issued to Quiboloy to run for senator under the WPP and declare him a nuisance candidate.

Matula, who stressed he is the president of WPP, said Quiboloy’s CONA must be cancelled due to “material representation” and that he should be disqualified from the senatorial race as his CONA was purportedly submitted by unauthorized persons. 

The camp of Quiboloy also earlier asked the Comelec to declare Matula and nine other senatorial aspirants of the WPP as nuisance candidates.

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