FORMER President Rodrigo Duterte said on Sunday, August 25, 2024, that the country “has never been in a more tragic state” following the attempt of the police to arrest Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.
In a statement, Duterte slammed the police led by Davao Regional Police Office chief Brigadier General Nicolas Torre for forcing their way into the KOJC compound, leading to a violent confrontation with Quiboloy’s followers on Saturday, August 24.
One KOJC member died after suffering from heart attack, while “many others” required medical attention as they resisted the police operation.
Duterte tagged the incident as “political harassment, persecution, violence and abuse of authority.”
“Rights have been trampled upon and our laws, derided…This certainly puts a dark stain on the hands of those involved in today’s incidents, led by no less than the top police officials of the region,” said Duterte.
“We call on the remaining decent and patriotic members of our government not to allow themselves to be used and to be abusive and violent in enforcing illegal orders,” he added.
The former top chief executive called on all Filipinos, regardless of political persuasion, to offer prayers for peace and justice and to spare the KOJC people from the unwarranted tension brought about by the reign of fear and terror by people sworn to uphold the law and protect the citizens of this country.
“Again, let us ask this administration how it can guarantee the preservation of the constitutional rights of our fellow Filipinos when even the most fundamental of these rights are being blatantly violated,” he added.
Quiboloy appointed Duterte as the new administrator of KOJC properties following the issuance of arrest warrants against him over human trafficking and child and sexual abuse filed by former members of the organization.
It is the second time that the police trooped the KOJC compound in an attempt to arrest Quiboloy, as well as her four more co-accused. One of his co-accused was arrested in July.
A P10 million reward was offered for any information that would lead to the arrest of Quiboloy.
In an interview with reporters, Torre said they will not leave the 30-hectare property until they find Quiboloy and his co-accused.
“Meron tayong life detector na ginagamit natin kapag nag collapse ang mga structures. Dati sniffing dogs ang ginagamit natin para malaman kung may tao. Sa ngayon, meron tayong equipment diyan na kapag nilagay natin sa semento, malalaman natin sa kabila niyan kung may tao,” he said.
(We have a life detector, which we use when structures collapse. We used to use sniffing dogs to find out if someone was there. Right now, we have equipment that when we put it on the cement, we can know that somebody is there.)
“Sa ganitong sistema, hindi makukuha ito ngayong araw ito (Saturday). Magpapaguran muna kami rito hanggang sa ma-realize ni Pastor na hindi kami aalis dito habang hindi namin siya nakukuha or ang kanyang mga kasamahan. Nasa kanila na lang yan eh. Alam niyo nakita namin, we will publish the rooms ng mga kuwarto ng mga bata nila, mga anak nila, mga alalay nila. May mga kuwarto ng mga bata, may mga pictures ng mga bata, may mga pangalan ng dalagita roon,” he added.
(In this system, we will not be able to arrest him today (Saturday). We will work hard here until Pastor realizes that we will not leave here until we get him and his colleagues. That's up to them. We saw tand we will publish the rooms of their children, their dependents. There are children's rooms, there are pictures of children, there are girls' names there.)
Quiboloy earlier maintained that he will not let anyone catch him alive as he accused the Philippine government of conniving with the US government for his “extraordinary rendition.”
Quiboloy is facing 43 cases in the US, which include sex trafficking by force including of children, money laundering and fraud and coercion, among others. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)