The High Court of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has officially recognized the Jesus Is Lord (JIL) Church Limited as the rightful owner of a disputed property in Kowloon.
In a ruling delivered by Deputy High Court Judge Jonathan Wong, the court confirmed that the religious organization holds both legal and beneficial title to the premises.
The decision follows a period of litigation concerning the property, which JIL Church had leased for over ten years before eventually purchasing it through JIL Investments Limited.
In addition to affirming the church’s ownership, Judge Wong ordered the previous owner to facilitate the formal transfer of the title to the church.
The court’s mandate included significant financial repercussions for the defendant. The previous owner is required to refund the church the amount of HK$332,591.94 (approximately ₱2.57 million) and cover all associated legal expenses.
Furthermore, the court directed the former owner to settle all liabilities related to a mortgage that had been secretly placed on the property prior to the expiration of the church’s lease agreement.
The ruling was issued from the Court of First Instance of the High Court. Under the region’s judicial structure, such judgments are subject to potential review by the Court of Appeal within the same High Court system.
Founded in 1978 by Eddie Villanueva—who currently serves as the CIBAC Party-list Representative—the JIL Church is a prominent Philippine-based religious movement.
Villanueva is the father of Senate Deputy Minority Leader Joel Villanueva, a lawmaker who has recently been mentioned in discussions regarding controversial flood control projects.
Commenting on the victory, the church released a statement noting that the court found that the church “had full legal and beneficial ownership of the property,” marking the end of a decade-long transition from tenants to official owners.