KOJC takeover: ‘All cops are bad’

“ALL cops are bad” or to put it rather harshly, “all cops are bastards” — This is a political slogan, also known as ACAB, that originated in the United States to call out the systemic abuse of power, and the oppression, brutality, and racism brought on by the police force. 

In light of the recent takeover of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound by the Philippine National Police (PNP), I cannot help but think about ACAB in the context of the Philippines. 

Not to sound like an anarchist nor am I a Quiboloy fan, but the recent events involving the PNP and the devoted (borderline fanatic) members of the KOJC had me agreeing with the ACAB movement — but not because I actually think all cops are bastards. 

Rather, that I agree members of the police force are inherent perpetrators of systemic abuse — whether they like it or not. Heck, they themselves are subject to abuse by their superiors. 

This was highlighted even more when videos of cops deployed in the mega church’s compound showed that they were being needlessly hit with a baton by their higher-ups. Police were starved, sleepless and berated on all sides. But the abused themselves are also abusers.

To underscore, on August 24, members of the PNP marched to the KOJC compound to supposedly serve a warrant of arrest against fugitive KOJC Leader, Apollo C. Quiboloy. 

However, instead of merely serving the arrest warrant and leaving the compound when they did not find Quiboloy anywhere therein, the police resorted to allegedly entering private rooms of members, ransacking private properties, and even allegedly brutalizing members of the KOJC. 

Moreover, the PNP seemingly garrisoned the compound and prohibited people from entering and/or exiting the premises. 

Why was this wrong and abusive? Because the PNP only had an arrest warrant, not a search warrant against Quiboloy and the KOJC.

In fact, the blatant departure from the proper procedure of serving an arrest warrant was called out by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Davao City Chapter in a statement. Eventually, the Regional Trial Court Branch 15 of Davao City issued a temporary protection order (TPO) and a supplemental and clarificatory order, emphasizing that the manner in which the PNP should enforce a warrant of arrest should be “necessary and reasonable.”

 In other words, the police crossed a lot of lines.

Now, they even got so far as searching for Quiboloy in the pipes and following sounds of a heartbeat that allegedly came from under the soil? Is he so powerful that he could transform into a rat? Or is the PNP just on a fishing expedition?