Three years after issuing warrants of arrest against Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KoJC) founder Apollo Quiboloy, the US government still has not asked the Philippines to extradite the evangelist.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo told a Senate panel investigating Quiboloy’s links to sex trafficking and child abuse that while there is an existing extradition treaty between the two countries, the US has not sought it until now.

“As you know the Philippines has an extradition treaty with the United States of America. I wish to report that as to this date, the DFA has not received a formal extradition request,” he told the Senate committee chaired by Sen. Risa Hontiveros.

However, the DFA will not initiate any move to inquire from the US if it will seek Quiboloy’s return to America to face the many charges filed against him and several other leaders of the KoJC.

Quiboloy was present in yesterday’s hearing and is expected to be grilled by senators.

In 2021, he was ordered arrested by a US court on charges of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, sex trafficking of children and bulk cash smuggling, among other criminal charges.

The Department of Justice of the Philippines is tasked to process any extradition request from the American government. However, decision will rely on local courts, it was learned.

For his part, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Jesus Domingo said the DFA is ready to act on an extradition request.

“All our foreign service posts and all our offices in the DFA stand ready… we have been in consultation and communnications with our sister agencies in government,” said Domingo.