PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. commended on Monday, September 9, 2024, the Philippine National Police (PNP) for the “arrest” of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and his five co-accused.
In an interview with reporters, Marcos said that through the efforts of the PNP, Quiboloy and his co-accused were pressured to voluntarily turn themselves in.
(The question that is being asked from last night until today is 'Did they surrender or were they captured?' I think that is a legal question. But this is what I think, he wouldn't appear if we didn't chase him hard... What happened, he was forced to go out because the police were close to him.)
“I have to commend our PNP. This is police work at its best. This is what the PNP can do…Maganda ‘yung ating pagkakaunawa at pagkaka-coordinate sa iba’t-ibang ahensya (The coordination with the different agencies was good). But this is what policeman do…At nakita natin desidido ‘yung ating mga police. At instruction ko sa kanila last time, kapag pasok natin, huwag kayo aalis hanggang di niyo nakuha na siya (Quiboloy). And that's it and that is exactly what they did,” he added.
He also recognized the augmentation provided by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) especially to ensure the continuity of the operations inside the KOJC, noting the restlessness of police involved.
The police, led by the Davao Regional Police Office, started scouring the KOJC compound in Barangay Buhanginan in Davao City on August 24 in a bid to arrest Quiboloy.
Aside from keenly inspecting all the corners of the 32-hectare compound, they also had to endure the efforts of the KOJC members opposing the operation.
Marcos said that in the earlier part of the two-week police operation, Quiboloy had sent several surrender feelers, which they refused due to the conditions he set. The condition was for the government to promise that Quiboloy will not be sent to the United States where he is facing dozens of criminal charges.
The PNP announced on Sunday evening, September 8, 2024 that Quiboloy is already under the custody of the law enforcement authorities, as well as his five co-accused who are also members of the KOJC.
They were facing charges for qualified human trafficking and child and sexual abuse filed by former members of the KOJC, including those who testified before a Senate investigation on the criminal activities with the religious organization.
From the KOJC compound, Quiboloy and the five others were flown to Manila, particularly to the PNP Custodial Center.
Davao Regional Police Director Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III said Quiboloy’s surface only proves what they strongly believed over the past few days that he is still with the KOJC compound. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)