THE Davao City government, through the Office of the City Building Official (Ocbo), denied the request of the Police Regional Office-Davao Region (PRO-Davao) to gain access to the "Master Plans and Building Plans" of various structures within the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound.
In a letter response signed by Ocbo Officer-in-Charge Arch. Khashayar L. Toghyani to a request made by PRO-Davao director BGen. Nicolas Torre III on August 29, 2024, it revealed that the police office wants access to the Master Plans and Building Plans of the religious compound, including its architectural, electrical, structural, mechanical and sewerage, and sanitary plans.
Toghyani said the request was denied per Section 172 of the Republic Act No. 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines.
"[T]he requested documents (plans) as original intellectual works and hence intellectual properties exclusively owned by their creators which are protected from the moment of their creation," the Ocbo official said.
In addition, the office said that in accordance with the Executive Order No. 2 series of 2016 entitled, "Operationalizing in the Executive Branch the People's Constitutional Right to Information and the State Policies of Full Public Disclosure and Transparency in the Public Service and Providing Guidelines Therefor" stipulates the exceptions on those who can access on said documents.
Ocbo, however, did not elaborate further but they emphasized that only the "structure owner, or prior permission/authority from the architect or creator of the plan or a valid order from a competent court" can provide access.
"Your request clearly falls under the above-cited provisions of the law," the office said.
PRO-Davao has not issued any statement in response to the letter. They have also yet to elaborate on the purpose of their request.
This coincides with the alleged excavation in the basement of Jose Maria College (JMC) to locate the bunker of embattled Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, as alleged by KOJC legal counsel Israelito Torreon.
Photos and videos of the tunnel have also circulated online. This was, however, denied by Torre.
Meanwhile, Torreon reported seeing over 20 bags of cement being unloaded at the KOJC cathedral.
He shared videos showing police personnel conducting this activity without using a security scanner, raising further questions about police actions inside the property.
SMNI News, the broadcast arm of the religious organization, reported that law enforcers were allegedly mixing cement inside the college’s basement.
PRO-Davao spokesperson Catherine dela Rey, in response, said "Huwag po nating lagyan ng kulay ang mga ginagawa ng kapulisan lalo na sa pag-serve ng warrant of arrest (Let’s not put color on what the police are doing, especially in serving of the warrant of arrest)." RGL