DAVAO CITY – A portion of the Carlos P. Garcia Highway in this city has been closed to traffic for 18 hours as of 3 p.m. on Monday, August 26, as over 1,000 Kingdom of Jesus Christ members barricaded the road to protest police occupation inside their premises.
THE standoff between police and KOJC in Davao City remains as of Monday afternoon. (Keith Bacongco)
The closure of the highway, also known as Davao City Diversion Road, partly paralyzed traffic here since 8 p.m. on Sunday, August 25.
Police Regional Office-11 chief Police Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III immediately mobilized anti-riot police units and attempted to disperse the initial wave of the crowd.
But members grew in the middle of the road and eventually occupied the six-lane highway that links the Bangkal and Panacan areas here.
Motorists were forced to divert to the Davao-Agusan Road that links Panacan and downtown areas of this city.
The protest was an offshoot of the serving of warrants of arrests against Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and his four companions who are accused of child abuse and human trafficking on Saturday, August 24.
Over 2,000 police officers stormed the compound to serve a warrant of arrest against Quiboloy and companions.
Tensions have been high due to continued police presence in the 30-hectare compound located beside the Davao International Airport.
As members blocked the highway with trucks, light vehicles, and two giant cranes, Torre requested them to clear the highway through a public address system.
Torre warned the protesters that they might use force to disperse them. But members stood their ground.
A word war ensued police and members for about an hour through their public address systems.
As Torre continued his request to clear the road, the protesters said: ''Sinagad niyo kami! (You exhausted our patience)''
Members decried the desecration of their premises that they consider a sacred place.
At about 10:15 p.m. Sunday, tension erupted in one of the gates of the compound as police and members apparently clashed.
Few minutes later, a billow of smoke can be seen from a distance. Members claimed that the police hurled tear gas toward the protesters.
In response, members burned used tires in the middle of the road.
Shortly before 12 midnight, some Civil Disturbance Management (CDM) personnel repositioned towards the direction of Panacan area to rest. Others remained in their position in front of the members.