DAVAO CITY – A councilor appealed before the city council on Tuesday, September 10, to take decisive action to address the property damage and prioritize the restoration of the police’s dignity following their operation earlier that led to conflict with the Kingdom of Jesus Christ in this city.
ZOZOBRADO (FB)
Majority Floor Leader Councilor Jesus Joseph Zozobrado cited in a privilege speech the alleged violations committed by the Philippine National Police according to KOJC members during the implementation of the arrest warrants against KOJC founder Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.
The KOJC, with their legal counsel Israelito Torreon, claimed that operations at the compound affected academic rights and religious freedom, members were allegedly blocked from going to some areas in the compound, and the operation was illegal.
Citing Article 3, Section 1 of the 1987 Constitution that defined “people’s constitutional rights,” the councilor reminded the public that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied equal protection of the laws.
He also cited Section 2 which states the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against “unreasonable searches and seizures of whatever nature and for any purpose shall be inviolable…”
Zozobrado said he was concerned by the admission of Police Regional Office-11 chief Police Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III at the Senate inquiry last week that they allowed civilians to wear PNP uniforms to enter the compound to help in their search for Quiboloy.
“The admission of Gen. Torre during the Senate inquiry on giving the civilians the authority to pose as policemen, wear their uniforms, and enter the KOJC in aid of their search for the pastor must be viewed critically and with strict scrutiny,” Zozobrado said.
Zozobrado said Torre had access to 3,000 trained policemen, of whom anyone could have been called to handle their operation professionally and precisely. However, he said that instead of relying on the vast and capable police force, Torre recruited civilians for the operation.
“Yes, civilians who were not trained, not part of the PNP, were suddenly brought in to do the job. Gen. Torre was convinced that the pastor was hiding in a bunker below, so he used a device to track heartbeats beneath the surface and justified their large-scale excavation,” he said.
Torre believed that members of the ministry and the pastor’s loyalists were actively resisting the police force and misleading the excavation efforts, necessitating the use of every available resource – including civilians disguised as police officers.
While Torre may have his reasons, Zozobrado said how these were executed cannot be ignored. He added that Torre’s justification does not excuse what transpired at the compound, particularly at the school basement.
“The general admitted to giving the order and did so on a video. He didn’t even flinch, as though he saw nothing wrong with having civilians play dress-up in police uniforms. It’s as if, to him, the uniform was just another piece of clothing to be handed out, like a costume at a party,” he said.
Zozobrado said that the PNP uniform carries a weight – a symbol of authority, discipline, and public trust. He added the police uniform represents the law and sworn in by those who uphold it, and allowing civilians to wear it undermines everything it stands for.
The councilor said the P10-million reward for Quiboloy’s arrest might have been used as an excuse for improvisation rather than the reason to adhere strictly to protocol, sacrificing the integrity of the operation.
He said the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) must step in and do their job. Zozobrado added that people heard Torre’s admission to such violation and had seen the evidence in a video.
“This is about the integrity of our law enforcement (referring to the PNP), the very fabric of public trust in those who are meant to protect us. It’s about saying that this behavior cannot and should not be tolerated,” Zozobrado said.
According to Section 10 of Rule 113 of the Rules on Criminal Procedure, an officer making a legal arrest can call on as many people as needed to “help with the arrest.” Anyone summoned by an officer must help with the arrest “if they can do so without harming themselves.”
The councilor said that it is well understood in the legal profession that such a rule may only be resorted to by the government authorities while “arresting the accused and not while extensively searching for him.”
He said the rule could not be used to justify Torre’s decision to enlist civilians to search for the pastor while wearing a police uniform. He added that the city council, DILG, and other government agencies would risk turning the police into a circus if they did nothing about it.
“It is not enough to sweep this under the rug with routine investigation. Colleagues, the integrity of our law enforcement is on the line. Let us act decisively and act now to ensure that the PNP badge and uniform remain symbols of authority, discipline, and trust,” he said.
Zozobrado urged the council and other concerned offices to ensure that only people wearing the police uniform have earned the right to do so through their training and service. He said they owe it to everyone they served, men and women in uniform, and the principles of law and order.