The Philippine National Police (PNP) transferred on Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 27, the custody of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy to the Pasig City Jail.
PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said Quiboloy was turned over at around 5 p.m. to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), the agency which has direct supervision and control over the Pasig City Jail.
Quiboloy was transported directly from the Philippine Heart Center where he was confined after being granted with a medical furlough by a Pasig City Regional Trial Court handling the human trafficking case leveled against him.
“The security convoy carrying Apollo Quiboloy left the Philippine Heart Center in compliance with the court order to transfer PUPC (Person Under PNP Custody) Quiboloy to the Pasig City Jail Male Dormitory,” the PNP report read.
Quiboloy has been detained at the PNP Custodial Center at Camp Crame since his arrest on Sept. 8 after a 16-day operation inside the KOJC compound in Davao City.
He was detained at Camp Crame pending the petitions filed by his lawyers for either his hospital arrest or house arrest. During that time, the PNP was also tasked to conduct medical assessment on Quiboloy.
But on Nov. 22, Fajardo said the Pasig City Regional Trial Court issued an order for the transfer of Quiboloy to the Pasig City Jail, which is under the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
“His detention at the PNP Custodial Center is just temporary and since we are already done with the medical assessment, there is no more reason for him to stay at Camp Crame,” said Fajardo.
“We welcome the order issued by the court and because it definitely entails financial and human resources whenever we escort him to the hospital or to the court. So definitely this will ease the burden on the part of the HSS (Headquarters Support Service) in providing security escort every time he needs to go out of Camp Crame,” she added.
Quiboloy is facing a case of qualified human trafficking, under Republic Act 9208, a non-bailable offense.
No VIP treatment
BJMP spokesperson Supt. Jayrex Bustinera assured that there will be no special treatment for Quiboloy: “We treat all PDLs equally.”
The Pasig City Jail has a population of 1,453 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs). It has around 481 percent congestion rate.
The detention facility where Quiboloy will stay is around 20 square meter, according to Bustinera.
Quarantine first
Bustinera said Quiboloy will stay at not more than two weeks at the Pasig City Jail holding area as a matter of protocol.
“We have a holding area where the newly-committed PDLS would stay because we do not immediately send them to the general population because they may have contagious disease. We are also assessing their health condition,” said Bustinera.
The same protocol, according to Bustinera, applies to Quiboloy.
“Within two weeks, we will be conducting an assessment on his medical condition, including the determination if he has communicable disease. We will also check his physical condition and our doctors will interview him,” said Bustinera.
He said Quiboloy will stay at the holding area with 10 more newly-committed PDLs from the Pasig City police.