DAVAO CITY – Davao City Police Office chief Police Col. Hansel M. Marantan said that five former members of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) recently appeared to report that they were allegedly sexually molested by Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy.
A HEAVILY covered Pastor Apollo Quiboloy is escorted during a press conference in Camp Crame, Quezon City, Monday, September 9. (AP)
Marantan said in a press conference on Thursday, September 12, that the victims who used to be “pastorals of the innermost circle” before they left KOJC last year reached out to him immediately after the Senate investigation, in aid of legislation, on the police operations at the KOJC compound conducted by Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa last September 7.
He said that the alleged victims – two of whom he spoke with face-to-face while three others via video conference – were crying while narrating how they were sexually abused at the age of 13.
“They were shaped and they were brainwashed and indoctrinated, until such time that they accepted their fate. Pero mali ‘yan (but that is wrong) under the law. If sexually molested – minor at that – it is equivalent to violation under the law,” he said.
In a statement to the media, Israelito Torreon, lead counsel of KOJC, said that he has yet to verify the statements and identifies of these alleged victims with the city police director as he could not speculate if these allegations were true or fabricated to “smear the good name and reputation” of Quiboloy.
“I pray that the PNP (Philippine National Police) would handle the investigations of these new alleged cases with care and professionalism and not subject the same to much publicity owing to the high possibility that these alleged new complainants may have been influenced only by some forces whose aim is not to obtain justice but to score much-needed political points,” he said.
Marantan said that the victims were recruited to serve the religious group at the age of 12, with a promise of giving them free education, but were never sent to school.
“Magaganda po sila at may mga lahi po sia. Mga lahi nila European and American, hindi ko na alam kung anong mga lahi pa (They are beautiful and they have races. Their races are European and American, I don't know what other races). They are very beautiful,” he said.
Marantan said that “carnal knowledge” with the victims was the final rites before becoming “pastorals of the innermost circle” who, he claimed, enjoyed more privileges as compared with other KOJC members, living as “queens and princesses.”
He said that the alleged victims wanted to report the abuse when they left KOJC but were reluctant because they were afraid to share their experiences.
Marantan said that police would file charges against Quiboloy for violation of Republic Act 7610, also known as Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.
“You know what’s the common situation among the victims? They all come from broken families. Those, who fit the standards of Quiboloy, kinuha niya (were recruited) and prepared them to be pastoral, and became ‘innermost circle,’” he said.
Marantan said that the victims chose to remain silent despite the alleged abuses as they were told that the “angels of death” would come after them if they break the “code of secrecy” by reporting the sexual assault to authorities “to get even.”
“If there is a violation, kunyari sinabi mo na (for example, if you say that) they are sexually molested by Quiboloy, papasok na ‘yung ‘Angels of Death’ (the ‘Angels of Death’ would come in) to ‘get even,’ and ‘to get even’ means papatayin ka at pati ‘yung mga genes line mo, ‘yung mga magulang mo, mga kapatid mo (you and your family, including your parents and siblings will be killed),” he said.
On Sunday, September 8, Quiboloy and his co-accused, Jackielyn Roy, Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Ingrid Canada, and Sylvia Cemañes, were arrested by authorities inside the compound.
Police Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, director of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Davao, said that Quiboloy hid at the ACQ College of Ministry, a bible school inside the compound.
He said that Quiboloy was taken from the compound, boarded one of the vehicles escorted by the PNP-Aviation Security Group to the airport, and brought to Manila via a C-130 plane, which landed at the Tactical Operations Group (TOG)-Davao at the Old Airport in Barangay Sasa near the compound.
Quiboloy is facing charges of child abuse and qualified human trafficking, along with co-accused Roy, Cresente, Paulene, Ingrid, and Cemañes. Paulene was arrested last July 11 at her residence in Emily Homes Subdivision in Barangay Cabantian here.
The suspects have two warrants of arrest issued by the Davao City Regional Trial Court-Branch 12 and the Pasig City RTC last April.
Last May 28, the Supreme Court Second Division ordered the transfer of the two criminal cases from the Davao City RTC-Branch 12 to the Quezon City RTC.
The Senate ordered the arrest of Quiboloy last March 19, after he was cited in contempt for defying its order to appear in the investigations of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality.