Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday, April 22 expressed incredulity at the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) refusal to revoke the firearms license of fugitive religious leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy who is now a fugitive.
The senator pointed out that under the PNP’s implementing rules and regulations (IRR), it is clearly stated that for citizens with a firearms license, legal disability — or the “the loss by the licensee of the legal qualification or capacity to own and possess firearms in accordance with this Revised IRR” — includes the “pendency of a criminal case with imposable penalty of more than two (2) years.”
The PNP should, therefore, stop justifying their refusal to revoke Quiboloy’s firearms license by saying that doing so is not in accordance with the law.
“Huwag nang magdahilan ang PNP. Kung talagang kasangga namin sila sa pagpapanagot sa mga pambabastos ni Quiboloy sa ating mga institusyon, dapat ginagawa nila ang lahat para mahuli siya (The PNP should stop making excuses. If they really support us in holding Quiboloy accountable for his abuses on our institutions, they should be doing everything to arrest him),” Hontiveros said.
“At isang mahalagang paraan ang pagbawi ng mga armas, lalo na ng isang pugante (And one of the most important means to do that is by revoking the firearms, especially by a fugitive),” Hontiveros said.
“Sa dami at bigat ng pending cases ni Quiboloy, siguro naman pwede nang bawiin ang mga armas niya. Sa kasong human trafficking palang, non-bailable at lifetime imprisonment na ang parusa, kaya ano pa hinihintay ng PNP? Nakapagtataka ang bagal (With the number and weight of Quiboloy's pending cases, maybe his weapons can be taken back. In the case of human trafficking alone, the punishment is non-bailable and life imprisonment, so what is the PNP waiting for? Their slowness is surprising),” she pointed out.
Hontiveros also expressed disbelief at the PNP for claiming they are unaware about Quiboloy’s private army.
Last week, the lawmaker shared screenshots of social media posts circulating online showing how members of Quiboloy’s Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) in camouflage uniform and bearing arms.
“Ang mga netizen alam na na may private army siya, tapos sarili nating kapulisan, hindi alam? Imposible (Our netizens are aware that he has a private army yet our policemen do not know? That’s impossible),” she emphasized.
“Di ba dapat mas kapaki-pakinabang ang intel unit niyo? Konting search lang sa social media, lumalabas na yan agad – mga armadong sundalo na nagtetraining at ang mga caption tila may pagbabanta pa sa sinumang lalapit sa poon nila (Shouldn't your intelligence unit be more useful? Just a little search on social media, that immediately comes up - armed soldiers training and the captions seem to threaten anyone who approaches them). This is basic information,” Hontiveros said.
At the same time, the head of the Senate women and children’s panel renewed her call for PNP Chief Rommel Marbil to facilitate Quiboloy’s immediate arrest considering he is a high-profile fugitive who must be apprehended.
“Baka kaya ang lakas ng loob magtago ni Quiboloy dahil sa mga armas at baril na pumoprotekta sa kanya. Trabahuin na ng PNP ang pagkansela ng mga armas niya. Bilis-bilisan na (Maybe the reason why Quiboloy had the courage to hide is because of the weapons and guns that protect him. The PNP should now work on canceling his weapons. They should hurry up),” Hontiveros reiterated.