Former presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo called Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil "humorless" and said that former president Rodrigo Duterte was only joking when he said he was keeping the location of embattled televangelist Pastor Quiboloy a secret.

Panelo said this after Marbil said the PNP was mulling to file a complaint against Duterte for obstruction of justice for not disclosing the whereabouts of whom he called "a fugitive of the law."

In a statement on Tuesday, July 9, the former Palace spokesman said Duterte's response to a reporter's question about Quiboloy's whereabouts was a joke intended to make the reporters laugh.

"The statement of FPRRD... is at best a joke, for which he is known for — or pulling the leg of the inquiring reporter. It was intended for the reporters to laugh — and they did," he said.

"Apparently, the Chief PNP is a humorless person and can not decipher a joke or a jest defined as 'a brief oral narrative with climactic humorous twist,'" he added.

Not only that, Panelo said Marbil's plan to file an obstruction of justice charge against Duterte was "laughable" and exposed the PNP Chief's "legal ignorance" on how the said crime is committed.

"Under Sec. 1(c) of Presidential Decree No. 1829, a person who knowingly or willfully obstructs, impedes, frustrates or delays the apprehension of suspects and the investigation and the prosecution of criminal cases commits the crime of obstruction of justice," he said.

Even if Duterte knew where Quiboloy was, Panelo said the former president is not obligated to tell the police where the suspect is and not informing them is not an obstruction of justice.

"The bare statement of FPRRD that he knows where Pastor Quiboloy [is] and will not divulge his whereabouts can not be the basis of a charge of obstruction of notice," Panelo said.

"There is no proof proffered by the PNP that FPRRD committed a prior or subsequent positive act of concealing or harboring Pastor Quiboloy or preventing the law enforcement agencies from arresting the KOJC head, or assisting or helping him in his escape," he added.

Panelo cited the 2021 case of Dr. Emily D. De Leon, et. al. v Atty. Judith Z. Luis, where the Supreme Court dismissed a case filed against respondent Luis for obstruction of justice for not failing to report to the police a suspect who went to his office and whom he knew to have an arrest warrant.

"In ruling that the respondent lawyer did not commit the crime of obstruction of justice," he said.

With this, Panelo said the PNP should not use Duterte to cover up their blunders.

"The PNP Chief should not make FPRRD a scapegoat for the failure of his agency to arrest Pastor Quiboloy," he said.

Where is Quiboloy?

According to Panelo, former president Duterte does not know where Quiboloy is. Duterte also supposedly has no contact with the religious leader.

"He (Duterte) has not communicated with him nor has the religious leader talked to him. Nor has there been any report from the intelligence group of the PNP that Pastor Quiboloy has been communicating with the members of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC)," he said.

"There is also no proof that the two have been seen together after the issuance of the warrant of arrest," he added.

Early this week, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos announced that a reward of P10 million awaits anybody who has information that will lead to Quiboloy's arrest. In addition, P1 million will be given in exchange for information that will lead to the arrest of his co-accused.

Quiboloy and his co-accused have standing warrants of arrest for sexual and child abuse and human trafficking cases.