PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, that the apology issued by Vice President Sara Duterte to members of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) for encouraging them to vote for him in the 2022 national elections “is her prerogative.
In an interview with reporters in Camp Aguinaldo, Marcos said he still does not understand the reason why Duterte had to apologize to KOJC members.
“I still don't understand why. That is her wish. Wala tayong magagawa (we can't do anything),” Marcos said.
“That's her prerogative,” he added.
Marcos said he has not spoken to Duterte, her running mate during the 2022 national elections, since she handed him over her resignation as the secretary of the Department of Education and vice chairperson of the anti-insurgency task force in June.
Duterte earlier expressed regret for endorsing Marcos during the 2022 national elections.
She made the statement amid the ongoing search for KOJC leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, who has a standing arrest warrant for human trafficking and child and sexual abuse.
The Dutertes, including former President Rodrigo Duterte, expressed disapproval of the ongoing police operations within the KOJC compound in Davao City.
Former President Duterte, who was appointed as the administrator of the KOJC properties, slammed the government over the ongoing police operations, saying the country has "never been in a more tragic state."
He tagged the incident as “political harassment, persecution, violence, and abuse of authority.”
The police are now on the 12th day of operations within the KOJC, but they are yet to find Quiboloy.
Meanwhile, Marcos said the conditions set by Quiboloy for his arrest are immaterial.
“Parang hindi niya (Quiboloy) yata masyadong naintindihan ang proseso…pagka nag-issue ang korte ng bench warrant or warrant for arrest, it is out of our hands already. It is in the courts’ hands,” Marcos said.
(It seems he Quiboloy didn’t fully understand the process… Once the court issues a bench warrant or arrest warrant, it is out of our hands and in the court’s jurisdiction.)
“Kailangan ang kausap niya ang korte. Dahil ang executive, ang papel lang namin ngayon ay arestuhin siya. So, all of these conditions that he’s putting in are immaterial,” he added.
(He needs to speak with the court. The executive's role now is just to arrest him. So, all these conditions he’s mentioning are irrelevant.)
Among the conditions imposed by Quiboloy for his surrender is an assurance from Malacañang that he will not be extradited to the United States.
Quiboloy is facing 43 cases in the US, including sex trafficking by force (including of children), money laundering, fraud, and coercion, among others. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)