THE Police Regional Office-Davao Region (PRO-Davao) has clarified that they did not execute a search warrant and no “obstruction of justice” was made contrary to claims of several followers and legal counsels of fugitive preacher Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and his five trusted assistants, whose whereabouts remain unknown.
This clarification follows simultaneous visits by hundreds of police personnel from the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) and Special Action Force (SAF) troops to three of the televangelist's properties: the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) Compound near Davao International Airport in Buhangin, the Prayer Mountain and Glory Mountain in Tamayong, Calinan district, QSands Baptismal Resort in the Island Garden City of Samal, and the Kitbog Compound in Malungon, Sarangani.
“Dili to sya raid amoa gibuhat, kundi warrant of arrest ra kay naga-subay man ta sa balaod. Walay search warrant nga nahitabo. Kung makakita mo, gi-sirad-an nila ang mga compounds and wala gyud sila nagpasulod which is according sa law, allowed mi to enter the premises because they are all lawfully accused sa korte (It was not a raid, but rather the execution of an arrest warrant in accordance with the law. There was no search warrant involved. If you noticed, they closed the compounds and did not let us in, which according to the law, allows us to enter because they are lawfully accused in court),” Police Major Catherine Dela Rey, spokesperson of the PRO-Davao confirmed to SunStar Davao in a phone interview, hours after the tension occurred.
She cited the Revised Rules of Criminal Procedure, amended on December 1, 2000. According to Rule 113, Section 11, officers have the right to break into a building or enclosure to arrest if refused entry after announcing their authority and purpose.
Eleanor Cardona, KJC executive secretary, expressed her dismay over the police presence in all targeted compounds, calling the act forceful and distressing.
“Wala namang law. May law ba kayo? Puros kayo injustice, mga accusations naman yan lahat kaya hindi kami pumayag tapos they were ready. Nag ready na talaga sila - nag ready na sila ng truck, inakyat na ang hagdan. But we stood there, mga babae, mga matatanda, lahat kami. Well kung gusto nila kami mamatay, matagal na kami handa (There is no law. Do you have a law? These are pure injustices, all accusations. We did not agree, but they were ready—they had the truck ready, the ladder up. But we stood there, women, elders, all of us. If they want us to die, we've been ready for a long time),” Cardona said in an interview through SMNI News
Quiboloy’s properties sieged
Three properties owned by Quiboloy in Davao City were simultaneously sieged by police authorities and personnel from the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) and Special Action Force (SAF) operatives in the early morning of Monday, June 10, 2024.
According to a police report, prior to the siege, the police authorities served the warrant of arrest against Quiboloy and his five co-accused, between 4 and 6 a.m. of the same day. However, this became chaotic thus the special operatives were called upon.
In a news report aired by Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) News Channel, around 100 heavily armed authorities attempted a forced entry at the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) Compound, Central Headquarters which includes the Jose Maria College (JMC) near Davao International Airport, Buhangin while members were having their daily devotional prayers.
Hundreds of Quiboloy’s followers have united and faced off against the authorities holding their placards with messages such as "Justice For Pastor Apollo Quiboloy", "Protect Our Constitution" and "Stand For Truth".
The Prayer Mountain and Glory Mountain at the foothills of Mt. Apo in Tamayong, Calinan district were also sieged and the entrance gates were destroyed. Several KOJC members were seen in CCTV footage and other videos circulating across social media to have been handcuffed by the troops.
On the other hand, QSands Baptismal Resort in the Island Garden City of Samal and Kitbog Compound in Malungon, Sarangani, considered to be Quiboloy’s secluded properties where his ministry began, have also been investigated. However, no presence of all the accused was sighted.
In an ambush interview with Dela Rey, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office-Davao Region (PRO-Davao), she said that they are just following the rules of the court as stated in the Constitution.
“We urged the supporters of Pastor Quiboloy to remain calm; na ang mga kapulisan nagabuhat lang sa mandato as law enforcers, isa na diri ang pag-serve sa warrant of arrest. Ang gibuhat nato ganiha is a lawful order of the court and part of the process or due process na dapat atubangon ni Quiboloy ug iyahang mga kaubanan,” Dela Rey said.
(We urged the supporters of Pastor Quiboloy to remain calm [and] that the police are only doing the mandate as law enforcers [and] serving the warrant of arrest is one of them. What we did today was a lawful order of the court and part of the process or due process that Quiboloy and his associates must face).
She also stressed that Quiboloy, who is charged under Section 10(a) of the same act as well as Section 5(b) of Republic Act 7610, also known as the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act, is a target of intimidation and coercion tactics.
The cases were initially filed in Davao, but the Supreme Court allowed these to be transferred to a Quezon City court last April 4 to avoid biases potentially affecting the trial’s impartiality.
Dela Rey added that all personnel deployed in the field were required to wear anti-riot gear and carry police shields to protect themselves from possible occurrences of violence.
“Pag naa sa field kay part na jud sa amo [ang] uniform, ang basic police equipment po like firearms and vests po (When in the field, the basic police equipment like firearms and vests is part of the uniform),” the official stressed.
However, according to Cardona, the move was unjustified and baseless as authorities do not personally know who Quiboloy is, citing his kindness and innocence.
“Kung matino sila, bakit madaling araw, tama ba yan? Bakit hindi broad daylight at maayos? But they were really bent [on] attacking us, I’m sure or else hindi sila naka-full battle gear na parang gye-girahain na. Aba, sino ba kalaban nyo? Pareho tayong Pilipino? Nakita nyo naman itong lugar, holy ground. (If they are sane, why did they do it early in the morning, is that right? Why not do it in broad daylight? But they were really bent [on] attacking us, I'm sure or else they weren't in full battle gear as if there was a war. Well, who is your opponent, we are both Filipinos? This place is holy ground),” Cardona said.
As of press writing, tensions between the authorities and Quiboloy’s followers have been calmer.
Another conduct of arrest warrant
However, PRO-Davao told SunStar Davao in an exclusive interview that there will be another warrant of arrest coming anytime soon once they receive new leads on the whereabouts of Quiboloy and his church associates: Ingrid Canada, Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Jackielyn Roy, and Sylvia Cemañes.
“Dili pud ni sya last nga warrant of arrest kay once maka-receive na pud mi og information regarding sa ilahang location, mag conduct na usab ta’g balik” (This is not the last warrant of arrest because once we receive information regarding their location, we will conduct again) Dela Rey maintained.
On April 8, Dela Rey told SunStar Davao that all of the pastor’s co-accused are still highly encouraged to appear or be present in court for hearings for their fundamental rights despite having temporary liberty and the individual bail they posted last April 3 and 4.
“Sa pagkakaron, wala man sa ginaingon nga dili na gina-monitor, pero naka-bail na man gud sila. So free na sila karon kung unsa man ilahang buhaton. As long as gasipot sila sa korte once ipatawag sila (As of now, it's not that they're not being monitored anymore, but they've already posted bail. So they're free to do whatever they want as long as they will show up in court once they're summoned)
Cops failed to arrest Quiboloy
Meanwhile, the heavily armed battalions of PNP-SAF and CIDG who stormed the KJC compound in Barangay Buhangin, Davao City, on Monday, June 10, 2024, to arrest Quiboloy were not successful as the fugitive was not found.
Cardona revealed that she was shocked at the aggressive police presence.
"We were surprised by the presence of the police and military in full battle gear," she said in an interview with SMNI News.
She noted that KJC members rushed to the compound gates upon seeing the authorities and initially resisted, asserting the baselessness of the accusations against Quiboloy.
The church official, who faced the authorities, said an arrest warrant was served to them. "Sabi ko hindi. Hindi kami papayag kasi wala naman talagang katuturan iyan. Kasi daw against the law pag i-obstruct ko (I said no. We won't agree because that doesn't make sense. But they said it's against the law if I obstruct," she said, adding that the accusations against the pastor are baseless. DEF AND KBP with reports from RGL