Sen. Robinhood Padilla said on Friday, June 14, that he wants the Senate to investigate the Philippine National Police's operation on the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) premises in Davao City last June 10.
He raised the issue of the alleged "unnecessary and excessive force" used by PNP members during the operation.
"In serving warrants, law enforcement should take into consideration the totality of the situation at hand which should not in any way violate the dignity of persons ... There is a need for the PNP to promote and protect human rights because these very acts are vital to the maintenance of public order, guarantee of public safety, and respect for the rule of law," he said in a resolution he will formally file on Tuesday, June 18.
"There is a need for the PNP to promote and protect human rights because these very acts are vital to the maintenance of public order, guarantee of public safety, and respect for the rule of law," he added.
Padilla's resolution seeks to direct the appropriate Senate committee to conduct an investigation in aid of legislation on the alleged unnecessary and excessive force by the PNP members in the June 10 operation.
In his resolution, Padilla noted no less than Art. II Sec. 4 of the 1987 Constitution "imposes upon the Government the primary duty to serve and protect the people" while Art. II Sec. 11 of the Constitution "is a recognition of the State’s high regard to the dignity of every person with a guarantee of full respect for human rights."
Also, he said the PNP adopted a Human Rights-Based Policing (HRBP) policy, whose guidebook stresses that "the first level of its human rights obligations is to respect human rights by refraining from interfering with the enjoyment of people’s rights."
Yet, he cited reports that when PNP operatives including those from the Special Action Force (SAF) and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) raided the KOJC premises including the Prayer and Glory Mountains - supposedly to serve arrest warrants on KOJC founder Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and five others - some missionaries were reportedly hurt during the ensuing tension.
"In light of this event, former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, who has been recently designated as the Administrator of the KOJC properties, issued a statement that the alleged illegal raid was a clear violation of the law, and described it as an overkill in any language," he said.
Meanwhile, Padilla noted records showed several past instances when the PNP was called out for its use of excessive force in the service of its warrants, including an arrest of an elderly environmental activist in Pakil, Laguna by 25 SAF members in 2022; and the operation involving 18 CIDG personnel and six members of the Regional Maritime Unit that resulted in the killing of Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa in 2016.
"The Revised PNP Operational Procedures dictates that, in the lawful performance of duty, only necessary and reasonable force, should be used to accomplish the task of enforcing the law and maintaining peace and order," Padilla noted.
PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said the operations were part of police’s compliance with the court order to arrest Quiboloy in connection with human trafficking and child abuse charges leveled against him—the cases are non-bailable.