DAVAO CITY – The Police Regional Office-11 belied on Wednesday, August 28, a news report by Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) that the Philippine National Police (PNP) would bomb the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) Cathedral within two hours if the KOJC members do not surrender Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy.
“The KOJC is spreading another false report that we plan to bomb their compound just like their previous lies about us cutting off their water and electricity,” PRO-11 spokesperson Police Major Catherine dela Rey said in a video footage posted on their Facebook page.
Dela Rey urged the public to refrain from believing in false information that KOJC members are spreading and not spread the fake news they are putting out. She said verifying the facts and listening to legitimate media sources that report the truth would be best.
According to SMNI breaking news on their Facebook page, the KOJC Cathedral received information that the PNP would bomb the cathedral within two hours if they did not surrender Quiboloy, accused of child abuse, sexual abuse, and human trafficking, before the courts in Davao City and Pasig City.
At around 4 p.m. on Wednesday, the PNP brought in boxed equipment and escorted five civilians in the compound, where they conducted operations for several hours before allowing the lawyers of the cathedral to enter.
KOJC minister Carlo Catiil echoed the report in their press conference on Wednesday. He said the PNP forcibly entered the compound with large and small boxes. He added that they just wanted to know what was inside the boxes for everyone’s safety.
KOJC legal counsel Israelito Torreon said he was waiting for PRO-11's confirmation of the report's veracity.
Torreon posted on his Facebook account that PRO-11 Director Police Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III is no longer answering his text messages and calls. He said he has no other recourse except to post his concern through social media.
His message: “Sir good pm. Requesting confirmation that you are giving KOJC 2 hours to surrender Pastor ACQ otherwise you will bomb the KOJC Cathedral? Please reply.”
Torreon emphasized that there is already a Writ of Amparo and police are supposedly ordered to stop any act or omission that threatens or violates the petitioners' life, liberty, or property.
“The rationale behind the issuance of the Writ of Amparo was the restrictions and control imposed by the PNP here. But the problem was that Gen. Torre concentrated only on the second portion of the temporary protection order, which provided for the removal of any barricade or barriers within the compound,” Torreon said.
The Davao City Regional Trial Court Branch 15 issued a temporary protection order on Tuesday, August 27, directing the PNP to "immediately cease and desist" from exercising any act that threatens the life, liberty, or security of the officials and members of the KOJC.
The order, penned by Davao City RTC Branch 15 Presiding Judge Mario C. Duaves, mandated the PRO-11 to remove all forms of barricades, barriers, or blockades that bar the access to and from the subject compound and hinder the exercise of religious, academic, and proprietary rights of officials and members.
Torreon said they agreed to disagree that they will file a manifestation before the RTC 15 and that, allegedly, they will file a motion for clarification, but it seems the KOJC acted ahead of them by already filing a manifestation to hold the police in contempt.
Catill, with Torreon and KOJC legal counsel Eunice Ambrosio, addressed reporters on Wednesday after some of their members reportedly harassed the media here during coverage of the search for Quiboloy at their 30-hectare compound.
The KOJC minister apologized to the media and assured them that he would make efforts to calm their members while the police are still searching for Quiboloy, whom the police claimed to have been hiding in a bunker inside the compound for four days since the search started.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said that based on the intelligence report of the PNP, the fugitive pastor is still suspected to be concealed within the KOJC compound. He added that the court did not affect their operations as it did not order the police to leave.