CHRISTIANNEWS.COM.- Manny Pacquiao, the popular world champion Christian boxer turned politician, is suing a popular Philippine evangelist for defamation.
The lawsuit targets Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, a popular preacher among millions of Filipinos, who accused Pacquiao of embezzling public funds to build a sports complex that has been labeled a “white elephant,” reports Religion News Service.
“He used that deliberate falsehood to brainwash the Filipino public,” Pacquiao said of Quiboloy, announcing his lawsuit, seeking $2 million in damages to his image.
“He even had the audacity to cite Holy Scripture in support of his lies, misleading his flock and confusing the public, in order to tarnish my reputation,” he claimed in the lawsuit.
Quiboloy is the executive pastor of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, a restorationist church in Davao City, in the southern Philippines. The church is believed to have 4 million followers in the country and another 2 million among the Filipino diaspora. His followers refer to the preacher as “Owner of the Universe” and “Designated Son of God,” among other titles.
Emergence of accusations against Pacquiao
The allegations stem from Pacquiao’s role in building the Sarangani Sports Training Center, which he sponsored as a senator in 2018. Bill signed into law the following year.
Reports reveal that the initial budget for the facility was 200 million Philippine pesos ($4 million), but a campaign on social media claimed that about 3.5 billion pesos ($69 million) were committed to the project.
Quiboloy’s lawyers maintain that the pastor did not make specific statements and only raised questions.
Although Pacquiao has yet to officially announce his intentions, he has emerged as the number one candidate for the 2022 presidential election.
Pastor Quiboloy is a close associate of President Duterte. During the 2016 presidential campaign, Quiboloy lent him a private jet and a helicopter to support his campaign.
For this reason, Quiboloy’s spokesman on the case said that: “Senator Manny Pacquiao’s complaint can be considered a retaliation and a political move on his part, considering that the elections are close.”
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