The Makati Regional Trial Court issued an extradition warrant of arrest against Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and two others following a petition filed by the United States, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Friday.

According to the DOJ, the warrant of arrest was issued on Thursday after the petition for the extradition was filed last November 9.

Aside from Quiboloy, the other individuals who are also subject of the warrant of arrest include

Teresita Tolibas Dandan, and Helen Panilag.

Dandan, was identified by the US Department of Justice as one of the top overseers of KOJC and Children’s Joy Foundation (CJF) operations in the United States, and while Panilag, is the one-time top KOJC administrator in the US, who oversaw the collection of financial data from KOJC operations around the globe.

Quiboloy has been detained at a Pasig City jail since September 2024 to face alleged charges of qualified human trafficking before a Pasig court. He is also facing charges of alleged sex abuse before a Quezon City court,he two remain at large

''His situation is peculiar because he has been arrested. How the court will acquire jurisdiction over him is another matter. Definitely, there will be a legal process,'' said Justice Secretary Frederrick Vida in a TV interview.

In November 2021, federal prosecutors in California charged Quiboloy and several persons with conspiracy, child sex trafficking, sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion, as well as marriage fraud, visa fraud, money laundering, and bulk cash smuggling.

The DOJ said the Makati City regional trial court issued an Extradition Warrant of Arrest against Quiboloy, Dandan and Panilag after finding probable cause that: "each extraditee is the person named in the corresponding foreign arrest warrant and indictment, that the offenses charged are extraditable offenses, and that each extraditee committed the offense or offenses charged."

"At the same time, said court likewise issued a Hold Departure Order against each extraditee, to prevent any attempt by each of them to depart from the Philippines" the DOJ stated.

"Per the Rules on Extradition Proceedings, once the court is notified of the implementation of the arrest of the extraditee/s, the corresponding summons, together with a copy of the Petition and its annexes, shall be personally served on the extraditee/s, who shall then have a period of 15 days, from receipt of the summons, to file a verified Answer," it added. Robina Asido/PHS