Presidential candidates Manny Pacquiao and Panfilo Lacson rejected the invitation to join debates moderated by the media network owned by embattled televangelist Apollo Quiboloy for a number of reasons.
Pacquiao, a professed born-again believer, on Monday said he cannot participate in the event hosted by Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) because Quiboloy is wanted in the United States for child sex trafficking.
“I cannot, in good conscience, be part of any activity organized by a man wanted for detestable crimes and who unconscionably used the name of the Lord in vain for religious scams,” he said in a statement.
US prosecutors in November 2021 announced sex-trafficking charges against Quiboloy, alleging he used his power as the founder of a religious group called Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name to coerce girls and young women to have sex with him. He is wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The senator added he has a pending cyber libel complaint against Quiboloy so it would be best to skip the event.
Meanwhile, Lacson said he and his running mate Tito Sotto are declining the invitation from SMNI since Quiboloy already openly endorsed their opponents Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte.
“With all due respect and giving regard to common sense, SP Tito Sotto and I are skipping the SMNI debates,” he tweeted.
Marcos will be attending the SMNI debates on Tuesday, his camp has confirmed despite previous statements its candidate will decline attending forums and debates.
