FIVE members of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC), who were previously issued a warrant of arrest alongside KJC founder Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, have now been placed under the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation-Southern Mindanao Regional Office (NBI-Semro) on Wednesday, April 3.
The individuals involved are Jackielyn W. Roy, Tamayong Barangay Captain Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Ingrid Canada, and Sylvia Cemañes.
They will face violation of Section 10(a), or other acts of child abuse under Republic Act (RA) 7610, or the “Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.”
According to NBI-Davao Regional Director Atty. Archie Albao, three of them were arrested, while two voluntarily surrendered to the agency.
However, the legal charges against the identified individuals are bailable.
In an order dated April 1, 2024, the Davao City Regional Trial Court (Davao RTC) Branch 12 ordered the arrest of Quiboloy and five others.
Quiboloy was also ordered arrested for violation of Section 5(b) or sexual abuse also under RA 7610.
“The Court recalls it issued an Order dated March 14, 2024 wherein upon judicious examination and perusal of the information, it found probable cause to issue a warrant of arrest,” the order read.
Arrest order vs Quiboloy out
Two weeks after the Davao RTC suspended the warrant of arrest against the fugitive religious leader and five others for human trafficking, it resumed issuing the warrant of arrest.
The Davao RTC released an arrest warrant last March 14 but was later suspended after the court was informed by the Quiboloy camp that a motion for reconsideration was filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ).
However, the aggrieved party has not collaborated nor submitted their legal documents and sufficient evidence for the court’s overall ruling.
“Having received none as of this date, the Court declines this time to await. As what was earlier determined upon judicious examination and perusal of information where it found probable cause, let the warrants of arrest already issued be implemented immediately,” the court said in its order.
“The Court, mindful of the equally situated rights of both the prosecution and defense, which may include among others, the speedy disposition and speedy trial cases, either of which or both, said right imposes an imperative task that this Court is indebted to fulfill,” it added.
Following the issuance, Risa Honterviros, chairperson of the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality expressed her confidence that the leader has no movements left to escape his charges.
“Bilang na ang masasayang araw ni Apollo Quiboloy. Halos lahat na ng institusyon sa Pilipinas ay gumagalaw para mapanagot siya” (The happy days of Apollo Quiboloy are numbered. Almost all institutions in the Philippines are moving to hold him accountable),” Hontiveros stated on her post.
The politician who has been leading the investigation of Quiboloy’s case on Republic Act 7610 or the Anti-Child Abuse Law, specifically the provision on sexual abuse of minors and maltreatment, applauded the fairness and balanced initiatives of the Davao police authorities for their collaboration in arresting the doomsday preacher.
“The PNP in Davao previously expressed its willingness to work with other law enforcement agencies in arresting the Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader. Tiwala ako na matutupad ito at mahuhuli si Quiboloy (I am confident that this will be fulfilled and Quiboloy will be arrested.) Ang dami na niyang ginawa para takbuhan ang obligasyon niya sa batas ( He has done a lot to avoid his obligations to the law.) He should just cooperate and properly answer the accusations hurled against him. Kung walang kasalanan, hindi kailangang magtago (If he’s really innocent, he should not be hiding),” Hontiveros added.
The DOJ previously announced that Quiboloy’s qualified human trafficking case has no recommended bail. With reports from AJA and SNS
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