Apollo Quiboloy (MANILA BULLETIN)

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos has assured congressmen that law enforcers will keep looking for the likes of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo. 

"Maski sino po, hahanapin po namin (Whoever they are, we will look for them)," Abalos told the House Committee on Appropriations during the agency’s 2025 budget deliberation on Thursday afternoon, Aug. 15. 

This was Abalos' response to a jab from Makabayan member Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel, who during the proceedings highlighted the Philippine National Police's (PNP) supposed inability to arrest "big personalities" like Quiboloy and Guo. 

The DILG supervises the PNP, which is headed by General Rommel Marbil. Marbil attended the budget hearing along with Abalos. 

"Kapag mga big personalities talaga eh parang ang hirap hirap na arestuhin ng PNP. Kapag ordinaryong tao, ang dali lang hulihin tsaka maging biktima pa ng red-tagging na nagpapatuloy pa rin hanggang ngayon," Manuel said in his interpellation. 

(The PNP always seems to have a hard time arresting the big personalities. If it's the ordinary people, they're easy to catch and even subject to red-tagging, which continues to happen.) 

"So kailangan talaga mag-ayos at hindi lang pabayaan lang (So they should really get their act together and not neglect this)," added the youth solon. 

"I would just like to place it on record, na hindi po kami ganun (we are not like that). As far as Quiboloy is concerned and the others, ginagawa namin (we are doing what we can)," Abalos said in response. 

"In fact, dinemanda po kami on record. Nakademanda po ako ngayon, ang PNP dahil sa pag-raid po namin sa Kingdom of Jesus [Christ] (In fact, for the record, we were sued. I, and the PNP were sued because of our raid at KOJC) 

"And we are going answer these accusations against us. That's for the record. Hindi po kami ganun (We are not like that)," stressed the DILG head honcho.

Quiboloy, leader of KOJC church,is the subject of arrest warrants for alleged violation of Republic Act (RA) No.7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act, and RA No. 9208 or Qualified Human Trafficking. There's a P10-million reward for information leading to his capture. 

Guo, on the other hand, is being linked to the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) controversy. Her current whereabouts are unknown.

Marbil gives update on 'Fugitive Quiboloy' 

Regarding the two, Marbil told Manuel: "We're continuous po yung investigation namin and continuous po yung tracking po natin (Our investigation and tracking are continuous), not only the [PNP] but all the agencies involved. 

"Especially po yung Bureau of Immigration (BI), and of course yung intelligence unit po natin from national security agency," he said. 

(Especially the BI, and of course our intelligence units from the national security agency.) 

He added: "With regard to Quiboloy, ganun pa rin po yung ginagawa namin, tuloy-tuloy pa rin po yung surveillance namin dun sa area po, and yung location po ng limang taong hindi pa po nahuhuli, kasama po ni pastor, ni fugitive Apollo Quiboloy." 

(With regard to Quiboloy, we're doing the same thing, we're conducting continuous surveillance at the area, as well as the location of the five people at large who are with the pastor, the fugitive Apollo Quiboloy.) 

KOJC's headquarters are located in Davao City. Quiboloy refers to himself as the "appointed Son of God".