Apollo Quiboloy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Apollo Quiboloy
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Quiboloy in 2022
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Apollo Carreon Quiboloy
April 25, 1950 Dumanlas, Buhangin, Davao City, Philippines
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| Nationality | Filipino |
| Other names | PACQ, ACQ |
| Occupation | Pastor |
| Political party | Independent |
| Criminal status | Incarcerated at Pasig City Jail |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Denomination | Restorationist |
| Church | United Pentecostal Church of the Philippines (former) Kingdom of Jesus Christ |
| Founder of | Kingdom of Jesus Christ |
| Senior posting | |
| Title | Appointed Son of God; Owner of the Universe |
| Period in office | 1985–2022 |
| Predecessor | Position established |
| Successor | Marlon Acobo |
| Religious career | |
| Post | Executive Pastor of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ |
Apollo Carreon Quiboloy (locally [kɪboˈlɔɪ]; born April 25, 1950) is a Filipino pastor and the leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC or KJC), a Restorationist church based in the Philippines. He founded the KOJC in 1985, proclaiming himself the "Appointed Son of God" and the "Owner of the Universe".
Quiboloy is notable for founding the broadcasting network Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) and gained further recognition for his close ties with the 16th Philippine president, Rodrigo Duterte.
..... After refusing to cooperate with Philippine government inquiries into the alleged human rights violations, the Senate of the Philippines issued an arrest warrant on March 19, 2024, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government offered a ₱10,000,000 (US$170,770) bounty for information leading to Quiboloy's arrest on July 8, 2024. Quiboloy was arrested on September 8, 2024.
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Early life
Quiboloy was born on April 25, 1950, in Buhangin, Davao City, specifically in the area of Dumanlas, and is the youngest of nine children of Pampangans José Quiboloy y Turla and María Carreón y Quinto (born December 28, 1913). Both his parents were natives of Lubao, Pampanga, and had migrated to Davao City following the end of the Second World War to find better opportunities. Quiboloy spent his formative years in Pampanga before moving back to Davao.
Quiboloy was a member of the United Pentecostal Church, a Oneness Pentecostal denomination, until he established the Kingdom of Jesus Christ church. Quiboloy's father, José, was already a Protestant (a member of the Christian and Missionary Alliance) but converted to Oneness Pentecostalism with his four sons. They all became preachers and leaders in the United Pentecostal Church of the Philippines (UPCP), the largest Filipino Oneness Pentecostal Church, which is affiliated to the US-based United Pentecostal Church International. Apollo became president of the powerful UPCP youth organization in 1974, but was expelled from UPCP in 1979 for unorthodox teachings. He came back and was accepted back into the fold in 1980 as pastor of the Agdao Church in Davao City, one of the historical UPCP churches. In 1985, Apollo was put again under investigation by UPCP for his arrogant attitude towards other pastors. Rather than submitting to trial, he left UPCP with some 15 followers on September 1, 1985, and started his own denomination, later known as the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
Quiboloy studied in a Bible college in Manila where he graduated from in 1972. He also attended a conference in South Korea mostly attended by American and Canadian evangelists the following year.
Early religious involvement
Oneness Pentecostal and the UPCP
Quiboloy's father, José, was originally a Protestant and member of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, before moving to Oneness Pentecostal with his four sons. His family were locally known as pastor-leaders during the early years of the United Pentecostal Church of the Philippines (UPCP) in Davao.
Apollo's sibling, Jose, later became the Assistant General Superintendent of the UPCP before moving for independent work at the Greater Manila area. Apollo claims to have started experiencing spiritual visions at the age of 14, during a visit to Malungon, South Cotabato (now Sarangani). According to his website, he envisioned encounters with the Lord and the earth being burnt in a bowl of fire.
These visions also include captions such as "...the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood before that great and notable day of the Lord come" and "If ye shall seek me ye shall find me in my way". Quiboloy would recall these visions as the Second Coming of Jesus.
Career with UPCP as the "Preaching Machine"
Quiboloy never saw preaching as his future career, originally expressing desires to become a nautical engineer and pilot. However, because of the benefits that came with Bible college including free board and meals, fully-paid tuition fees and a free boat ride to Manila, he continued to study theology at the United Pentecostal Bible Institute (later the Apostolic Center for Theological Studies), graduating in 1972.
He continued to preach for the UPCP after completing college and gained moniker as a "Preaching Machine". On 1973, the UPCP nominated Quiboloy to represent them at the International Youth Corps World Conference held at Seoul, South Korea. The denomination would also elect Quiboloy as UPCP's national youth president in 1974.
Conflict with UPCP and founding of KOJC
After involving himself with another preacher named "Major Sanchez", Apollo was disfellowshipped by the UPCP in 1979. According to church documents, Sanchez was recently placed out-of-bounds by other pastors in Davao. Quiboloy later re-applied and expressed sorrow. He was accepted back in 1980.
Upon returning in 1980, Quiboloy was reassigned to preach at the Agdao church to slowly regain reputation to his church. However, he was investigated by the UPCP board again in 1985 after he introduced unorthodox ideals and inducing hate to neighboring pastors. According to documentation, Quiboloy told his followers on one occasion that other UPCP pastors are 'unqualified' and 'ignorant'. On September 1, 1985—before a scheduled meeting with UPCP's district board—Quiboloy would vacate the Agdao church with several followers to assemble his new denomination, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name.
Kingdom of Jesus Christ
Quiboloy founded the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name (also known as KOJC or KJC) on September 1, 1985 and appointed himself as leader and Executive Pastor. He started preaching at the slums of Villamor, Agdao with 15 members and received critical comments due to his claims on being the "Appointed Son of God". Their main cathedral is beside Francisco Bangoy International Airport just along the Carlos P. Garcia National Highway in Buhangin, Davao City.
Their church followers would refer to themselves as the "Kingdom Nation". The church claims to have around 4 million followers within the Philippines and over 2 million in other territories. Their schedule on weekdays involves members hosting bible sessions and prayer services. Another event, titled Sounds of Worship is held every Sundays online and at their main cathedral in Buhangin, Davao City.
Divinity claims
Quiboloy is known for claiming possession of divinity such as 'stopping' the 2019 Cotabato earthquakes on his command. He'd would later tell that the public should thank him for the act. He has publicly said that he did not do the same to stop the onslaught of Typhoon Kammuri (Tisoy) in response to those critical of his earlier claim in stopping the Cotabato earthquakes.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Quiboloy claimed on his YouTube channel that the emergence of the Omicron variant is caused by his prosecution from the US and the negative criticism from the public. He claimed that the virus will stop if freed from his active charges.
Jose Maria College
Quiboloy later founded the Jose Maria College in 2000 naming the institution after his parents. They are currently offering more than 30 programmes from basic, grade-school education, specialised Medicine and Law programmes, to TESDA-accredited vocational courses.
Swara Sug Network Corporation
Under Quiboloy's leadership, the church founded the Swara Sug Network Corporation (SSMC), famously known as the Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI). The network served as the KOJC's official media platform. Before establishing the SSMC, they would utilise agreements with local radio stations in Davao (DXDC and DXUM) to host their local programmes such as Pagsusi sa Kamatuoran ("Searching for Truth" or "Paghahanap ng Katotohanan") among others.
In 1991, they launched their first television program titled The Hour of Truth by utilising blocktime agreements with IBC and ABS-CBN stations throughout cities in Visayas and Mindanao.
Political involvement
Endorsements and affiliations
Quiboloy has supported Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's presidential campaign to earn a regular term in the 2004 election. Arroyo became president in 2001 after Joseph Estrada was deposed in the Second EDSA Revolution.
Quiboloy endorsed the candidacy of Gilbert Teodoro for the 2010 Philippine presidential election. Teodoro was the preferred candidate of the then-incumbent Arroyo administration. However Quiboloy would endorse Mar Roxas for the vice presidency and not Teodoro's running mate Edu Manzano. Teodoro finished fourth in the election with 4,095,839 votes (or 11.33%). He remarked that he was disturbed by reports of fraud and cheating and wondered to whom did votes from his church go.
Quiboloy is a close associate of Rodrigo Duterte. In the 2016 elections, Quiboloy and the members of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ endorsed the presidential candidacy of Davao City mayor Duterte and his running mate Senator Alan Peter Cayetano. Quiboloy also lent his private jet and helicopter to be used in Duterte's presidential campaign. Quiboloy also served as Duterte's spiritual adviser during his presidency. Post-presidency, Duterte would serve as the administrator of the assets of the pastor's church amidst Quiboloy facing scrutiny from the Philippine government.
In the 2022 elections, Quiboloy endorsed the candidacy of Bongbong Marcos who was running for president. He supported his vice presidential candidate, Sara Duterte as well. Quiboloy's parents' loyal support for former President Ferdinand Marcos was a factor for the endorsement. Quiboloy at the time have been reportedly good friends with the Marcos family in general. However following inquiries made by both houses of the Congress against him and SMNI, relations have deteriorated. In February 2024, Quiboloy alleged that President Marcos and First Lady Liza Marcos are conspiring with the United States to assassinate him. However he has remained cordial with Senator Imee Marcos who insists the pastor has been kind to many people.
2025 Senate electoral bid
In October 2024, Quiboloy filed his certificate of candidacy for the 2025 Philippine Senate election through his lawyer, Mark Tolentino. He is running under the Workers' and Peasants' Party (WPP). However, the WPP's Sonny Matula denied signing Quiboloy's candidacy form. On October 17, Matula filed a petition to disqualify Quiboloy's candidacy at the Commission on Elections on grounds of "material representation". In response, Quiboloy also filed a petition to have Matula and his entire senatorial slate disqualified on the same grounds. On October 21, Quiboloy withdrew his representation of the WPP and formally ran as an independent candidate. On December 18, COMELEC dismissed the disqualification case against Quiboloy, citing insufficient and incorrect evidence.
Communist rebellion
Quiboloy has criticised the Communist Party of the Philippines, New People's Army, and the National Democratic Front (CPP–NPA–NDF) which forms a triumvirate which has been waging a communist rebellion against the Philippine government. Likewise, he has accused several political figures of being associated with or sympathizers of the CPP–NPA–NDF. He also considered running for the 2022 presidential election, under an anti-communist platform which targeted rebels and alleged sympathizers.
See also
- God complex
- List of messiah claimants
- List of people claimed to be Jesus
- Grandiose Delusions
