SEVERAL Davao-based media outlets have jointly filed a police blotter against some supporters of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) for harassment and obstruction while attempting to report on the real-time situation at the KOJC central compound in Buhangin, Davao City.
In a video posted by SunStar Davao on Monday evening, August 26, 2024, news crews from MindaNews, Newsline Philippines, the Philippine Daily Inquirer, and state-run PTV News were blocked by KOJC members as they tried to cover the ongoing rally outside the religious compound. Supporters of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy forced the media group to leave, chanting "Mga bayaran na media (paid media)" and "biased," which escalated tensions between the two groups.
The police blotter, filed at Buhangin Police Station, details how journalist Edith Caduaya of Newsline Philippines requested access from the Philippine National Police-Civil Disturbance Management (PNP-CDM) to allow three reporters and a cameraman from TV5 and UNTV to pass through the police line to reach their vehicles parked nearby.
Caduaya informed the crowd of their intentions and explained that they were simply requesting permission to cross the police line to leave for home.
The media personnel involved included Ian C. Espinosa, Antonio Colina IV, and photojournalist Toto Lozano of MindaNews; Newsline cameraman Eugene Dango; PTV cinematographer Ramel Domingo; and Germelina Lacorte of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
The video also shows that several objects, including mineral water bottles and plastic chairs, were thrown at the news crews.
Caduaya, the current chairperson of the Mindanao Independent Press Council (MIPC), urged calm during these heated times and reminded the KOJC supporters that the media is not their enemy, adding that those who initiated the tension should be held accountable.
“The Kingdom of Jesus Christ must respect the work of the media and the press. They should be circumspect, liable to their acts and they should stop threatening, slandering, and intimidating people because it does speak well of their institution,” the veteran journalist told SunStar Davao via a voice message, Tuesday afternoon, August 27.
The MIPC also disclosed that KOJC followers have been threatening and displaying hostility toward the media since June 10, during the first storming and serving of a warrant of arrest, which violates press freedom and hinders the media's ability to impartially inform the public.
“Despite the media's commitment to fair and accurate reporting, KOJC members have repeatedly resorted to verbal abuse, including name-calling and disparaging remarks. This conduct not only impedes the journalists' ability to do their work but also reflects a troubling disregard for the values of respectful discourse and accountability,” the MIPC's statement read.
The National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) also condemned the harassment, stating, “[Journalists] should not be subjected to verbal harassment and the threat of physical harm by KOJC followers who disagree with the ongoing operation or with media’s reportage of it and the pending cases against Quiboloy and his co-accused.”
Following the incident, KOJC legal counsel Israelito Torreon apologized to the Davao media on behalf of the church members, acknowledging their frustration with the situation but also assuring accountability.
"Dala lang ng bugso ng damdamin, pasensya na talaga. But we will do something about it (It was just an outburst of emotion. We sincerely apologize. But we will address it)," he said in a press conference.
It has been 60 hours since the PNP began raiding the 30-hectare compound, yet there has been no sign of the embattled religious leader or his four co-accused. DEF