KOJC leader Apollo Quiboloy undergoes a booking procedure at Camp Crame in Quezon City.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) will insist on retaining the custody of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy after a court issued an order designating the Quezon City Jail as his detention facility.
PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), which has the custody of Quiboloy and the four others who were caught at the KOJC compound on Sunday, Sept. 8, is now preparing its legal position to assert its custody not only for the KOJC leader but also to the other accused.
“The CIDG legal officers have already coordinated with the panel of prosecutors of the DOJ (Department of Justice) and they will be filing the necessary pleadings today (Sept. 10) to request the court for the PNP to retain custody,” said Fajardo.
Fajardo was reacting to the commitment order issued by the QC Regional Trial Court Branch 106 which is handling the case of Child Abuse.
Based on the order, Quiboloy and Cresente Canada should be transferred to the new QC Jail facility in Barangay Payatas while the three female detainees— Jacklyn Roy, Ingrid Canada and Sylvia Cemañes— to the QC Female Dormitory at Camp Karingal in Quezon City.
But Fajardo said there is a separate order by a Pasig City Regional Trial Court for the PNP to retain its custody over Quiboloy and the four others. The four are facing a non-bailable offense of human trafficking case before the Pasig City court.
This is one of the arguments that the PNP will raise before the QC RTC in asserting the custody of Quiboloy, according to Fajardo.
“We don’t want to run the risk of transferring them to Quezon City. We just have to harmonize the court orders,’ said Fajardo.
Fajardo said the coordination of the CIDG with the DOJ also covers the measures that will be taken on Friday, when both the Quezon City and Pasig City court have the same schedule for the arraignment of Quiboloy.
One of the measures that will be discussed by the CIDG and the DOJ is the possibility of filing a motion for the use of video conferencing in the arraignment of Quiboloy and his co-accused.
The QC RTC has reportedly agreed to have the procedure done via video conference but the Pasig RTC, according to Fajardo, requires the presence of all the accused during the arraignment proper.
Secured
Quiboloy and the four other KOJC members caught on Sunday are currently detained at the PNP Custodial Center at Camp Crame where dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor is also detained.
Fajardo said there are security adjustments since the detainees involved high-profile personalities.
“There will be some adjustment but not specific to the numbers of security measures,” said Fajardo.
But Fajardo said that what the PNP can assure is the safety of Quiboloy and Guo, explaining that the Custodial Center was specifically built as detention for high-profile detainees.
The official said the PNP security does not only cover threats but also the medical needs of the inmates as she stressed that there is a hospital inside Camp Crame.
Mugshots
Fajardo also clarified that there is no special treatment on Quiboloy amid observation that the mugshot it released for Quiboloy was covered, compared to that of Guo.
“We are following the policy of the PNP and even the order of the CHR (Commission on Human Rights) to cover the face of those arrested and even the names if they are released (to the media),” said Fajardo.
“Remember they are also presumed innocent until proven guilty so we also have to protect their dignity,” she added.