DAVAO CITY – The Police Regional Office-11 believes that Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy is still hiding in the 30-hectare Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound here as the operations to effect the arrest warrants on the fugitive religious leader and four of his five co-accused entered Day 11 on Tuesday, September 3.
TORRE (PRO-11 FB screengrab)
In a press conference at the PRO-11 headquarters in Camp Sgt. Quintin M. Merecido here, Police Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, PRO-11 director, said he believes that Quiboloy has not left the compound since police operations started on August 24.
Torre added that the arrest of Quibloy is “just a matter of time” and this would deliver justice for his alleged victims.
“Hanggang ngayon, naniniwala kami kami na nandiyan siya. Tinatawanan kami. Sige lang, there is always time for everything, mahuhuli din natin ‘yan, mahuhuli din natin ‘yan, just a matter of time (Until now, we believe that he is still there. He's laughing at us. It's okay, there is always time for everything, we will catch him eventually, we will catch him, it's just a matter of time),” he said.
Police Major Catherine dela Rey, spokesperson of the PRO-Davao, said on Monday that intelligence information received by the police indicate that Quiboloy has not left the compound since the operations started.
Dela Rey added that they remain confident as they were on the first day of operations that they could locate Quiboloy inside the compound.
“Based on the intelligence information that we have received, Quiboloy is still inside the KOJC. We cannot divulge any information as to the specifics of our operation,” she said.
Dela Rey said that law enforcers are having difficulty serving the arrest warrants as KOJC members allegedly resist them, particularly when they search a structure.
“Allow us to work para mas mabilis, allow us to work inside the KOJC compound para magawa namin, mabilis namin matapos at kami ay umalis na diyan. Kasi hindi din namin gusto na magtagal sa loob (Allow us to work so we can move faster. Let us work inside the KOJC compound so we can finish quickly and leave. We don't want to stay there any longer),” she said.
Dela Rey assured members that there is “no planting of evidence” in the course of the police operations.
“There will be no planting of evidence dahil ang subject naman nag warrant of arrest natin is tao or persons. Si Quiboloy and four others (There will be no planting of evidence because the subjects of our arrest warrant are individuals – Quiboloy and four others),” she said.
She said all the equipment that police are bringing into the compound are needed to aid in the operations to locate Quiboloy.
Dela Rey estimated that police have searched at least 50 percent of the 30-hectare compound which has 41 existing structures, as of Sunday, September 1.
Israelito Torreon, lead counsel of the KOJC, said that the continued police presence inside the compound violated the Temporary Protection Order (TPO) issued by the Davao City Regional Trial Court Branch 15 as it constitutes “restrictions and control.”
“We feel that this this is a continuing violation of the TPO because these are forms of restrictions and control which we sought to be prevented, to be ceased and desisted, as ordered by the RTC 15 because there are acts and omission that affect the lives, liberty, and properties of KOJC member,” he said.
Torreon said that the first part of the TPO requires police to “cease and desist” from any acts or omissions affecting or threatening the lives, liberty, and security of members, while the second part orders the police to remove the barricades installed inside the property “which hindered the exercise of the members’ religious, academic, and property rights.”
During the 39th founding anniversary celebration of the KOJC at the compound on Sunday, Vice President Sara Duterte criticized authorities’ “abuse of power” and “assault on members’ exercise of freedom of religion” and the lack of respect for the rule of law due to their continued presence in the area.
“If they bring you violence, give them peace. Show them peace. Let them understand that this is not about me and you. This is about the abuse of power and the assault on the freedom of religion. Violence, you have peace. Bullets and tear gas, what do you have? You have the words of the Almighty God,” said Duterte. She encouraged the KOJC members not to lose hope as the “Almighty God” is with them.