DAVAO CITY – Police should have informed former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, the administrator of the properties of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), before breaking into the premises of the sect here to serve arrest warrants early this month, lawyers of fugitive Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy said.
QUIBOLOY
In a press conference broadcast over the Facebook page of SMNI News, Israelito Torreon, counsel of Quibloy, criticized law enforcers for their non-compliance with the proper procedures in serving the arrest warrants on the KOJC head and his five co-accused in the criminal charge for human trafficking.
Torreon said that law enforcers could break into the properties of KOJC only if Duterte refuses to admit the arresting officers or if there is a reasonable belief that the person to be arrested was hiding there.
He believed that law enforcers lacked reasonable belief since the warrants were served simultaneously at the KOJC compound in Buhangin and Prayer Mountain and Glory Mountain in Barangay Tamayong, Calinan, District, this city.
“You did not have that reasonable belief because Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy cannot be in four places at the same time,” he said.
Last March 8, Duterte was appointed as administrator of KOJC properties after Quiboloy went into hiding after being charged with serious criminal offenses here and in the United States.
Duterte criticized the use of excessive and unnecessary force in serving the warrants that occurred within a place of worship and on school premises and said that the police operations were an overkill.
Torreon said that law enforcers immediately placed ladders and climbed over the gates of the KOJC compound and broke the fences at the Glory Mountain without permission from the KOJC administrator in violation of the members’ property rights.
Police were supposed to serve the arrest warrants at 5:35 a.m. on June 10 against Quiboloy and Jackielyn Roy, Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Ingrid Canada, and Sylvia Cemañes, his co-accused in the criminal charge for human trafficking.
The operations resulted in the commotion between followers and law enforcers.
Police Major Catherine dela Rey, Police Regional Office (PRO)-Davao spokesperson, told reporters during the Davao Peace and Security Press Conference on Wednesday that law enforcers remained composed and demonstrated maximum tolerance throughout police operations despite being allegedly assaulted by the followers of Quiboloy.
Dela Rey said that police enforcers were sprayed with water cannon outside the KOJC compound while some officers serving the warrants in Barangay Tamayong were reportedly assaulted and threatened with bolos after breaking in at the property.
Dela Rey maintained that the simultaneous police operations were conducted in compliance with lawful order of the court.
Torreon maintained that KOJC members employed reasonable use of force as they were merely defending properties of the sect from the unlawful police operations.
“It was a reasonable use of force in order to defend the property of KOJC. If they got wet (after being sprayed with water), that is a proper exercise of defense of property kaya ang tigas tigas ng ulo, hindi naman nag-seminar kung pano mag-implement ng warrant of arrest (because you are hard-headed, you did not attend a seminar on how to implement a warrant of arrest),” he said.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Police Regional Office-Davao said the operations were conducted with the utmost consideration for safety and regularity, following strict protocols to minimize disruption and ensure the safety of the public.
It said that under the established rules of engagement and operational procedures, police personnel carry basic police equipment as part and mandated by our police operational procedures such as but not limited to issued firearms, restraining devices, personal protective equipment, and other accessories required for a particular type of operation being conducted.