Manila, Philippines — July 9, 2025 — Vice President Sara Duterte has called on former Senate witness Michael Maurillo, also known as “Alias Rene,” to take legal action after he alleged that Senator Risa Hontiveros paid him P1 million to falsely testify against embattled televangelist Apollo Quiboloy.
Maurillo recently retracted his sworn testimony in which he had accused Quiboloy and his religious group, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), of various abuses. He now claims that he was bribed to implicate the controversial pastor, a known ally of Vice President Duterte and her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.
“That is a very serious accusation and it needs to be clarified through the proper legal channels,” the Vice President said during a chance interview in the Netherlands. “If Alias Rene believes he should file a case, then he must do so—so the truth can be presented in court and the accused can also defend themselves properly.”
Duterte added that she had reviewed Maurillo’s affidavit prior to his public video retracting his earlier claims. Without disclosing how she obtained the document, Duterte said, “Nabasa ko na yung affidavit niya bago pa siya lumabas publicly.”
She further claimed that the affidavit mentioned Maurillo was housed by Hontiveros and stayed with other individuals described as “witnesses of the ICC.”
Maurillo’s reversal has sparked new controversy in a case that already involves multiple layers of legal and political tension. Vice President Duterte confirmed that former President Rodrigo Duterte’s legal team has been informed of the development.
Senator Hontiveros, for her part, has vehemently denied Maurillo’s claims. She stated that it was Maurillo himself who voluntarily approached her office, identifying as a victim of Quiboloy. In response to the new allegations, she has filed libel complaints against Maurillo and several vloggers who helped disseminate his accusations online.
The issue traces back to a 2024 Senate inquiry into alleged abuses within the KOJC. Several women testified against Quiboloy, accusing him of sexual and physical misconduct. The religious leader has since been detained in Pasig City on a non-bailable charge of qualified human trafficking, along with pending cases related to violations of the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act.
Quiboloy also ran in the recent 2025 midterm elections under the “Duter-10” senatorial slate endorsed by the Duterte family, but he failed to secure a seat.
As the situation continues to unfold, both supporters and critics await further developments, with calls growing louder for a fair and impartial investigation into the conflicting claims.
