DAVAO CITY – Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said on Friday, September 6, that the prolonged presence of police searching for Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and co-accused at their compound in Barangay Buhangin here is not justified.
The Philippine National Police has been searching for Quiboloy, who is facing three arrest warrants – one from the Senate issued in March and two issued by the courts here and in Pasig City in April for alleged sexual abuse and violence, child abuse, and human trafficking.
“I’m trying to help you. I’m trying to justify your actions, but am running out of justifications,” Dela Rosa told Police Regional Office-11 Director Police Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III at the Senate Justice and Human Rights Committee hearing on the operation.
DELA ROSA (Ivy Tejano)
Dela Rosa said he feels sorry for the members of the KOJC, especially Jose Maria Colleges (JMC) students and teachers affected by the operation.
“I do not see any reason for the prolonged stay of our policemen at the expense of the students who are studying, at the expense of the exercise of the religion of the KOJC, and at the expense of the freedom of movement of the people inside,” the senator said.
He appealed to the PNP and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to provide relief to the people, the KOJC, and the PNP, to enable them to return to their everyday lives. Dela Rosa said that police could go back anytime and proceed with their operations following new information.
Dela Rosa told Torre that no matter how the police defend their position, they are in a disadvantage, considering that after 13 days of lodging inside the compound, they still have not arrested the “self-proclaimed son of God” and others.
“It might be time for you to make a tactical retreat for the time being. We are not preventing you from striking back. You can return anytime and arrest Pastor Quiboloy if you have the information. But staying there for a long time is detrimental to both parties,” Dela Rosa said.
He said that he is not invalidating the PNP’s reasons for executing what they should do as it is part of their job. He said he just could not justify police's existence in compound for two weeks and counting.
“As part of our function, we have the reasons to give you advice, our recommendation, and how to do things properly in the name of humanity. I am appealing to you in the name of humanity. Please be human enough to consider all these things,” Dela Rosa said.
Torre said that they will continue searching until Quiboloy is found. He said they would not abandon the once voiceless victims of the fugitive religious leader and they would not stop until they arrest him.
The PRO-11 chief reiterated their belief that Quiboloy is still inside the compound, based on intelligence and equipment.
He also called on the pastor to surrender to authorities for the sake of his members and all the people involved and affected by the situation.
Dela Rosa indicated that based on his initial investigation, there seemed to be an “irregularity in searching without a search warrant.” He pointed out that it was a severe mistake for the police to continue searching the compound, primarily since they had not found Quiboloy.
Before the hearing, Dela Rosa and other committee members – Senators Robinhood Padilla and Christopher Go – inspected the compound on Friday morning amid reports of human rights violations and tunnel excavations in the search against the pastor.
Tunnel excavations
Following the Senate’s on-site inspection and during the hearing, Torre admitted that a hole was excavated under the JMC building basement. He said he would take full responsibility for the action.
Torre said an architect and civil and structural engineers were present during the digging but they do not have a permit. He also revealed that they hired civilians wearing police uniform to aid them in digging, explaining that the move was made to enable them to gain access to the building.
Dela Rosa, who criticized Torre’s resolution for allowing civilians to wear PNP uniforms in search of specific individuals underground, said an appropriate case could be filed against the police, as it appeared they were abusing their authority.
KOJC legal counsel Israelito Torreon, who presented the happenings in chronological order during the hearing, said they are also preparing to file charges against the PNP, particularly for digging at the JMC building without permission from the proper government office.
Tear gas lobbed
Torreon presented video footage and photos where Torre’s personnel broke through a southern perimeter wall and randomly threw tear gas, killing one of the KOJC workers and injuring around 14 others who were caught off guard.
According to the KOJC legal counsels and members present during the hearing, police officers in full battle gear took control of every building inside the compound, removing shocked workers and blocking them from entering the area.
The Davao police regional director complained that his men were being harassed by KOJC members.
However, online videos showed fully armed police officers in total control and occupying the entire compound including the school, cathedral, and sleeping quarters.
KOJC presented a photograph that the PNP deployed a long-range acoustic device (LRAD) capable of producing loud sounds that cause rupture eardrums even after brief exposure.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. denied that police serving arrest warrants for Quiboloy were fully armed.
KOJC lawyer Dinah Tolentino-Fuentes pointed out during the hearing that what is happening “constitutes a rape of the constitutional rights of other people. The right to religious freedom, right to education, right to life, liberty, and property of third persons who are not part of these warrant of arrests.”
Fuentes was referring to the KOJC members and residents in the compound and students of the JMC.
Furthermore, she pointed out that police allegedly violated the children’s right to education.
Fuentes emphasized that the police operations have disrupted the school operations, adding that Torre has already searched the school building more than 40 times already. “When will he stop so that the kids can go back to school?
But Torre said that the police are not preventing the students and teachers from holding their classes.
“Kung may anak ho kayo naka SAF uniform with M16, in full battle gear, police with riot shields and truncheons. And nakikita nila ang videos na may na tear gas and pepper spray, sa tingin nyo may papasok na bata?" she asked.
Pepper spray
Dela Rosa denounced a police officer for using pepper spray against a KOJC administrative officer. He said he saw a video of Police Corporal Rey Nacalario using the pepper spray on a woman. Dela Rosa called the behavior “shameful,” adding a case should be filed against him.
Torre said that Nacalario used alcohol, not pepper spray, and could have been irritable as he had just woken up. He assured the Senate committee that such behavior would not be tolerated.
Mayor Sebastian Duterte here questioned the legality of the operation which he said has turned into a siege between the PNP and the KOJC.
Dela Rosa said the public hearing, which started at 1:30 p.m. and suspended at 9:30 p.m., will continue in another day. He added that the schedule and venue will be announced.