On Tuesday, March 2, personalities and netizens smirked at controversial pastor Apollo Quiboloy for claiming that his news channel, Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), is far more credible than the news website Rappler.
It can be recalled that on February 24, the poll body inked a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the news website in a bid to fight disinformation and promote voter awareness during the election season.
“Para sa Pilipinas nating mahal, alisin ninyo ‘yang Rappler diyan sa MOA ninyo. Tumayo kayo COMELEC, kayo na lang. Bakit ‘di kayo makatayo sa sarili ninyo?” questioned Quiboloy who endorsed presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and his running-mate Davao City Mayor Sara “Inday” Duterte-Carpio.
He suggested that his news channel should be the one that the government agency be partnering with.
“Para maging credible kayo, paniwalaan kayo ng taumbayan, SMNI ilagay ninyo riyan.”
Quiboloy also assured that there would be no “biases” unlike Rappler.
“I will assure you, itinataya ko ang kredibilidad ko, walang hocus-pocus na mangyayari at hindi tayo hawak sa leeg ng foreign interest. Hindi tayo aso ng foreign interest. Diyan kayo magkakaroon ng credibility na totoo kayo,” he said.
However, his statement backfired as several personalities and netizens questioned his credibility.
https://twitter.com/pebbykins/status/1498850899258920966
A delusional guy, who claims to be god and is wanted by the FBI for rape and other cases, is talking about credibility. Okay. https://t.co/oedCgbEP9z
— Kit Guzman (@kitjguzman) March 2, 2022
A netizen even compared the heads of the two news outlets: Quiboloy, who is alleged to be a sex trafficker, and Maria Ressa, an awardee of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Why collaborate with a Nobel laureate when you can get a sex trafficker right? 🙄🙄 https://t.co/VIC3Oqp4zT
— Rlen (@DinoCruiser) March 2, 2022
Your credibility? where? https://t.co/q2HEzTrbv4
— Kyouske Murofushi (@kyskmrfsh) March 3, 2022
Social media personality Pinoy Ako Blog even invalidated the opinion of Quiboloy given that we want him.
Di valid ang opinion ng wanted sa FBI. https://t.co/3Fpo4maTly
— Jover Laurio (@PinoyAkoBlog) March 2, 2022
A Twitter personality even considered him a false prophet.
https://twitter.com/_rainbowfighter/status/1498858228704157700
Peter Cayton was also baffled by the pastor’s statement, stressing that Quiboloy is a wanted man.
Ewww.
The gall of a fugitive wanted internationally. https://t.co/uaHX8C2Kym
— Peter Cayton, the Stats Guy (@PJACaytonPhD) March 2, 2022
Twitter personality Von Velasco pointed out that it would not be surprised that Comelec would again “bent over” for Marcos.
Earlier, the poll body gave out the general topics discussed in the presidential debate since Marcos’s camp had requested it.
https://twitter.com/renceqv/status/1498854117812617216
ABS-CBN employee James Banaag even urged the pastor to “be nervous”.
kape kape din huy https://t.co/1OEhkVwoBb
— James Banaag (@dearscarjames) March 2, 2022
hello @FBI @FBIMostWanted https://t.co/hzj9pY0Ghb
— phu (@atquin__) March 2, 2022
The controversial pastor has been included in the Most Wanted List of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for his “conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion, and sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; conspiracy; bulk cash smuggling.”
