The Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) has requested Facebook and YouTube to remove the accounts of Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), the media arm of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC).
Police Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III stated during a Senate hearing that the move is intended to prevent SMNI from allegedly being used to shield Quiboloy, who is wanted both in the Philippines and the United States.
“We’re asking YouTube and Facebook to take down SMNI to stop it from being leveraged for illegal activities,” said Torre during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, which is investigating alleged abuses linked to Quiboloy and KOJC.
SMNI’s legal counsel, Mark Tolentino, dismissed the PNP’s claims, calling them baseless and emphasizing that freedom of the press is protected by the Constitution.
Quiboloy faces charges of child abuse and qualified trafficking in the Philippines, as well as sex trafficking and related crimes in the United States, allegations which he denies.
GMA News Online has sought the response of Facebook and YouTube regarding the takedown request.