The Philippine National Police (PNP) has deployed additional uniformed personnel in Davao City as replacement and augmentation in the conduct of search for Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy.
Police Brig. Gen. Rhoderick Augustus Alba, the designated spokesperson for the operation in Davao City, said personnel from the nearby regions of Northern Mindanao, Caraga and Central Mindanao were already tapped to assist in the operation.
“The Police Regional Office 11 needs support from other units considering that the area is too big. While the PRO 11 has enough resources but its manpower also needs to to rest and sleep and also need to be substituted as we need support from other PNP units,” said Alba.
At least 2,000 policemen were deployed to search the 32-hectare property of the KOJC in Davao City. The operation started on Saturday and police said they have sufficient reasons to believe that Quiboloy has been holed at the KOJC compound.
The recent development is the discovery of a possible bunker, around 20 meters to 30 meters from the ground, where signs of life were monitored based on the ground-penetrating radar being used by the PNP.
Aside from policemen conducting the search and securing the premises, contingents from the Civil Disturbance Management are also needed to protect the cops from the alleged violent tendencies of some KOJC members.
“The layout of our deployment does not only involve arresting officers, investigators, even the specialized units. The CDM should be there, that is the mandate of PNP to maintain peace and order and security and safety for everyone, not only the members of KOJC, even the communities surrounding the area,” said Alba.
“That’s the reason for the presence of our CDM units but we assure everyone nothing happened obstruction,” he added.
Alba then urged KOJC members to understand the nature of the police job, saying the operation is for the implementation of a warrant of arrest.