MANILA – The Department of Justice (DOJ) said it is closely reviewing the United States government’s formal request to extradite Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder Apollo Quiboloy and will ensure that all legal and treaty requirements are met before proceeding.

Chief State Counsel Dennis Chan confirmed that the DOJ has received the formal extradition request, which cites offenses including alleged sex trafficking of children, visa fraud and cash smuggling.

“We are reviewing the submission made by the United States government to ensure its compliance with the Philippine-US extradition treaty and the Philippine extradition law,” Chan said at a press conference.

Among the matters the DOJ must establish are whether the offenses cited by the United States are extraditable under the treaty and whether they satisfy the principle of dual criminality, or whether the underlying acts also constitute offenses under Philippine law.

Chan said the Philippines must also verify that the offenses carry a potential imprisonment of at least one year.

“We are working on the evaluation as fast as we can, at the same time ensuring that we are not skipping or cutting corners here,” he said.

The DOJ must also confirm that the person sought by the United States is the same Apollo Quiboloy currently in the Philippines and ensure that the extradition would not expose him to the death penalty if convicted in the United States.

Under the Philippines-US extradition treaty, the Philippine government may either file an extradition petition before a Regional Trial Court and allow the matter to proceed through judicial proceedings, or defer filing and wait for the conclusion of the local cases against Quiboloy and the other respondents.

If a petition is filed, the RTC handling the case will determine whether the extradition should be granted or denied.

Chan said the DOJ has not set a definite timeline for its evaluation but will expedite the process given the public interest in the case.

He said compliance with the treaty is important not only in ensuring that justice is served but also in demonstrating the Philippines’ commitment to its international obligations.

“So long as the requirements under the RP-US Extradition Treaty are met, then we are confident that extradition will be granted,” Chan said.