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 (born April 27, 1950) is a Filipino pastor. He is the leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC or KJC). This church is a Restorationist group based in the Philippines. He started the KOJC in 1985. He calls himself the "Appointed Son of God" and the "Owner of the Universe".
Quiboloy is also known for starting the TV and radio network Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI). He became more widely known because of his close connections with Rodrigo Duterte. Duterte was the 16th president of the Philippines.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Apollo Carreon Quiboloy was born on April 25, 1950, in Davao City. His parents, José Quiboloy y Turla and María Carreón y Sambat, were from Kapampangan families. They moved to Davao City after World War II to find better work. Apollo was the youngest of nine children in his family.
Religious Beginnings
Joining the United Pentecostal Church
Apollo's father, José, was a Protestant. He later joined the Oneness Pentecostal movement with four of his sons. The Quiboloy family became known as pastor-leaders in the early days of the United Pentecostal Church of the Philippines (UPCP) in Davao.
Apollo's brother, Jose, became an Assistant General Superintendent for the UPCP. Apollo says he started having spiritual visions when he was 14. This happened during a visit to Malungon, which is now in Sarangani. He describes seeing encounters with God and the earth burning in a bowl of fire.
He also recalls visions with phrases like "the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood before that great and notable day of the Lord come." He saw these visions as signs of the Second Coming of Jesus.
Becoming a Preacher
Apollo Quiboloy did not always plan to be a preacher. He first wanted to be a nautical engineer or a pilot. However, he decided to study theology at the United Pentecostal Bible Institute. This school later became the Apostolic Center for Theological Studies. He graduated in 1972. Studying there offered benefits like free food, housing, and tuition.
After college, he continued to preach for the UPCP. He became known as a "Preaching Machine" because he preached so much. In 1973, the UPCP chose Quiboloy to represent them at a big youth conference in Seoul, South Korea. The church also elected him as their national youth president in 1974.
Starting the Kingdom of Jesus Christ
In 1979, Quiboloy was temporarily removed from the UPCP. This happened after he became involved with another preacher. He later asked to rejoin and was accepted back in 1980.
When he returned, he was sent to preach at the Agdao church. However, the UPCP board investigated him again in 1985. He was introducing new ideas and speaking negatively about other pastors. On September 1, 1985, Quiboloy left the Agdao church with some followers. He then started his new church, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name.
The Kingdom of Jesus Christ
Quiboloy founded the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name (KOJC or KJC) on September 1, 1985. He became its leader and Executive Pastor. He began preaching in the poor areas of Villamor, Agdao, with only 15 members. People had strong opinions about his claims of being the "Appointed Son of God." The main church building is in Buhangin, Davao City, near the Francisco Bangoy International Airport.
The church's followers call themselves the "Kingdom Nation." The church says it has about 4 million followers in the Philippines. It also claims to have over 2 million followers in other countries. During the week, members hold Bible study sessions and prayer services. On Sundays, they have an event called Sounds of Worship. This event is held online and at their main church in Davao City.
Special Claims
Quiboloy has made claims about having special powers. For example, he claimed to have "stopped" the 2019 Cotabato earthquakes by his command. He later said that people should thank him for this. He also said he did not stop Typhoon Kammuri (Tisoy) when people asked why he didn't.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Quiboloy claimed that the Omicron variant appeared because of negative comments about him. He said the virus would stop if he was freed from his legal issues.
Other Organizations
Jose Maria College
Quiboloy started the Jose Maria College in 2000. He named the school after his parents. The college offers many different programs. These include basic education, grade school, and specialized programs in Medicine and Law. They also have vocational courses approved by TESDA.
Sonshine Media Network International
Under Quiboloy's leadership, the church started the Swara Sug Network Corporation (SSMC). This company is well-known as the Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI). SMNI became the official media platform for the KOJC. Before SMNI, they used local radio stations in Davao, like DXDC and DXUM. They aired programs such as Pagsusi sa Kamatuoran (which means "Searching for Truth").
In 1991, they launched their first TV show called The Hour of Truth. They did this by making agreements with IBC and ABS-CBN stations. These stations were in cities across Visayas and Mindanao.
Political Connections
Quiboloy has supported several political leaders in the Philippines. He supported Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's campaign for president in the 2004 Philippine presidential election. Arroyo became president in 2001.
He also supported Gilbert Teodoro for president in the 2010 Philippine presidential election. Teodoro was the chosen candidate of the Arroyo government at that time. However, Quiboloy supported Mar Roxas for vice president, not Teodoro's running mate. Teodoro finished fourth in the election. Quiboloy said he was concerned about reports of cheating.
Quiboloy is a close friend of Rodrigo Duterte. In the 2016 elections, Quiboloy and the Kingdom of Jesus Christ members supported Duterte for president. They also supported his running mate, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano. Quiboloy even let Duterte use his private jet and helicopter during the campaign. Quiboloy also served as Duterte's spiritual adviser when he was president. After Duterte's presidency, he helped manage the church's assets.
In the 2022 elections, Quiboloy supported Bongbong Marcos for president. He also supported Sara Duterte for vice president. Quiboloy's parents had been loyal supporters of former President Ferdinand Marcos. Quiboloy was also known to be good friends with the Marcos family. However, after investigations by the Congress against him and SMNI, their relationship changed. In February 2024, Quiboloy claimed that President Marcos and First Lady Liza Marcos were working with the United States against him. But he remained friendly with Senator Imee Marcos.
Running for Senate
In October 2024, Quiboloy submitted his papers to run for the 2025 Philippine Senate election. He first tried to run with the Workers' and Peasants' Party (WPP). However, the WPP's Sonny Matula said he did not sign Quiboloy's form. On October 17, Matula asked the Commission on Elections to stop Quiboloy's candidacy. Quiboloy then withdrew from the WPP and ran as an independent candidate on October 21. On December 18, the Commission on Elections dismissed the case against Quiboloy.
Quiboloy officially started his campaign on February 11, 2025. His main goals were to fight corruption and improve national security. He suggested that politicians found guilty of corruption should face the death penalty. In March 2025, a hip-hop artist named Omar Baliw sued Quiboloy. This was because one of his songs was used in Quiboloy's campaign without permission.
Quiboloy was not elected to the Senate. He finished in 31st place. After the results, he asked for a manual recount of the votes. He said there were "many reports of overvoting problems" and other issues.
Views on Rebellion
Quiboloy has spoken out against the Communist Party of the Philippines, the New People's Army, and the National Democratic Front. These groups are involved in a communist rebellion against the Philippine government. He has also accused some political figures of supporting these groups. He considered running for president in 2022 with a platform against these rebel groups.
See also
- God complex
- List of messiah claimants
- List of people claimed to be Jesus
