The Court of Appeals (CA) has decisively dismissed the plea for temporary liberty lodged by Ingrid Canada, one of the co-accused alongside Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy in a high-profile, qualified trafficking in persons case. The appellate court, in a resolution made public on Monday, delivered a stern rebuke, concluding that Canada’s petition was “belatedly filed and being procedurally infirmed,” warranting an “outright dismissal.”
Canada had sought to reverse the July 21, 2025, ruling from the Pasig Court, which denied her bail petition. She also attempted to overturn a subsequent order that denied her motion for reconsideration, which included a tender of excluded evidence, along with the August 28, 2025, order.
Three Grounds for an Outright Dismissal
The CA’s 10th Division, in its resolution promulgated on November 28, 2025, laid out three major procedural deficiencies that ultimately sealed the fate of the petition for certiorari:
- Filing via Private Courier: While the deadline for filing the petition was October 27, 2025, Canada chose to file it through a private courier. The CA, referencing the precedent set in Estrella vs. SM Prime Holdings, unequivocally stated that initiatory pleadings, such as a petition for certiorari, must be filed either personally or via registered mail. “Filing through a private courier, even if accredited, is not recognized for purposes of determining the timeliness thereof,” the resolution stressed.
- Failure to Implead the People of the Philippines: The court identified a second, “fatal” mistake: the failure to include the People of the Philippines as an indispensable party. An essential party is defined as a person or entity who must be part of the lawsuit, as their absence prevents the court from rendering a complete and fair judgment.
- Incomplete/Illegible Records: Finally, the CA pointed out that Canada failed to attach clear and legible copies of two material portions of the case records: her original Petition for Bail and the Motion for Reconsideration with Tender of Evidence. The court cited Section 3, Rule 46, which states that “failure to attach pertinent pleadings and material portions of the records is a sufficient ground for dismissal.”
Strong Evidence of Guilt Underscores Bail Denial
The CA’s dismissal echoes the strong position taken by the Pasig Court, which initially denied bail last July. That court determined that “the prosecution has sufficiently shown that the evidence of guilt against all the accused is strong on the two crimes of qualified human trafficking committed by a syndicate.”
This judicial assessment concluded that the pieces of evidence against all the accused “establish a great presumption of guilt for purposes of bail,” necessitating the denial of their petitions for temporary liberty.
Associate Justice Pedro B. Corales penned the resolution, which was unanimously concurred in by Associate Justice Angelene Mary Q. Quipo-Sale and Associate Justice Wilhelmina B. Jorge-Wagan.
Background of the Case
The criminal complaint stems from allegations made by a former member of the Davao-based KJC. The complainant claimed she was sexually abused in 2014 when she was 17 years old. The victim initially filed a petition for review with the Office of the Justice Secretary after the Davao City Prosecutor’s Office made an adverse ruling. Eventually, the case was officially filed before the Davao Court before being transferred to the Pasig Court for hearing.
Pastor Quiboloy has consistently and vehemently denied all allegations of rape and other illegal activities leveled against him and the KJC.