SEVERAL unidentified informants, whose tips led to the arrest of televangelist Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and four co-accused on the evening of September 8, 2024, will receive a P14 million reward from two Philippine government justice institutions.
The reward, initially announced in July by anonymous "private individuals" and "friends," was confirmed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on September 10.
This came after discussions between DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos, PNP Chief Police General Rommel Marbil, and Police Regional Office-Davao (PRO-Davao) Director Police Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III on September 9, after the KOJC and its missionaries voluntarily surrendered.
“Definitely, ito pong reward na P10 milyon para kay Pastor Quiboloy at tag-iisang milyon para doon sa apat ay ibibigay po iyan sa mga impormante (Definitely, the P10 million reward for Pastor Quiboloy and P1 million for each of the four others will be given to the informants),” PNP spokesperson Colonel Jean Fajardo said in a national press briefing.
Due to security concerns, authorities are keeping the tipsters' identities and locations confidential.
“We cannot really reveal kung sino po sila at ilan po sila because manganganib po ang kanilang mga buhay. So pag-uusapan pa po yan kung sino-sino po yung entitled sa reward (We cannot reveal their identities or number as their safety could be at risk. We will discuss who is entitled to the reward),” she added.
Quiboloy, along with Cresente Canada, Ingrid Canada, Sylvia Cemañes, and Jackielyn Roy, has been held at the PNP custodial center since their arrest.
Paulene Canada, the first missionary arrested, was located on July 9 after an anonymous caller reported her whereabouts to the Davao City police. She was arrested at a subdivision in the city about less than two kilometers away from the regional police headquarters in Camp Catitipan, Buhangin.
“Bago mahuli itong si Canada may isang hindi nagpakilalang caller ang tumawag sa hotline ng Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division ng office sa Region 11 para i-report sa police na nakita niya ang isang babae na kamukha ng nasa litrato ng wanted poster na nilabas ng PNP na may reward na P1 million (Before Canada’s arrest, an anonymous caller alerted the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division of Region 11 about a woman resembling the wanted poster with a P1 million reward),” Abalos said in a press conference.
Quiboloy surrendered after allegedly receiving an ultimatum to turn himself in within 24 hours or face a police raid at the KOJC site. Reports indicate that Quiboloy and the other members surrendered to the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) and were transported to Camp Crame in Quezon City late Sunday evening, September 8, 2024. (DEF)