Rapper Takes Legal Aim at Apollo Quiboloy Over Copyright Clash
APOLLO QUIBOLOY – A rapper has filed a lawsuit against Apollo Quiboloy, accusing him of copyright infringement.
Detained religious leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy is facing another legal battle after hip-hop artist Omar Manzano, popularly known as Omar Baliw, filed a copyright infringement complaint against him. The complaint was submitted to the Pasig Regional Trial Court on Monday, March 24.
According to Manzano’s legal counsel, Atty. Jeanne Castillo Anarna, the complaint alleges that Manzano’s song “K&B” was used as a political jingle for Quiboloy’s campaigns without prior authorization. Anarna emphasized that the song was publicly reproduced, altered, and distributed without the artist’s consent, constituting a violation of intellectual property rights.
In addition to Quiboloy, Manzano also filed the same complaint against Dr. Marlon Rosete, the president of Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), a broadcasting network associated with the detained pastor.
On the other hand, Atty. Israelito Torreon, Quiboloy’s legal representative, downplayed the allegations, stating that the pastor had no involvement in the unauthorized use of the song. Torreon explained that Quiboloy, who remains in detention, was unaware of the details regarding the materials used in his campaigns.
“From what I know he [Quiboloy] did not even know the details of the program. As you can see he is in jail, wala siyang TV doon sa loob at wala siyang alam doon sa detalye, kung ano ang ipapalabas ng kanyang mga supporters. We will just wait for the subpoena to arrive and answer it thoroughly and excellently so that the truth will come out that Pastor Quiboloy is not guilty,” Torreon stated.
The Filipino Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (FILSCAP) and the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) had previously issued reminders to candidates regarding the legal requirements for using copyrighted music in political campaigns. Under Republic Act 8293, also known as the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, any candidate found guilty of copyright infringement may face criminal charges and potential disqualification from the elections.
As the case moves forward, the legal proceedings will determine whether Quiboloy or his affiliated organizations bear responsibility for the alleged unauthorized use of Manzano’s music. The outcome may set a significant precedent regarding intellectual property rights in political campaigns.