Bid to arrest Quiboloy anew in KOJC property won’t stop until 30-ha complex is combed
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 24 August) – The police operation launched before Saturday dawn inside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound to arrest fugitive Pastor Apollo Quiboloy will not stop until the operatives fully searched the 30-hectare compound in Barangay Buhangin here, officials said.
Major Catherine Dela Rey, Police Regional Office – Region 11 (PRO-11) spokesperson, said that as of 11 a.m. on Saturday, they have only combed a fourth of the entire estate.
She said that around 2,000 police officers have been deployed to the KOJC compound at 5 a.m. to effect the arrest warrants against Quiboloy, KOJC founder and self-appointed “son of God.”
Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, PRO-11 director, led the arresting team composed of police personnel from Regions 11, 12 and 13.
Citing intelligence reports, Dela Rey said the PRO-11 is “100 percent” certain that the fugitive religious leader is still holed up within the KOJC compound, where 41 structures are scattered.
She said the police also found “secret rooms” inside the property which, according to her, were built as “hiding places” for the pastor.
She said that police authorities would try to complete the search within the day.
“But until we’re able to complete 100%, there is no pull out of our forces,” she told MindaNews outside the KOJC compound.
She denied accusations that some KOJC members have been locked inside the property, saying they are “free to leave the premises anytime.”
Torre earlier said that those who will get out from the compound must be cleared by him first.
At 1:23 p.m., police officers were seen again entering the compound.
Torre said that there are several areas inside KOJC compound that have yet to be searched.
He added the police will use a radar to aid them in the search.
“May target areas kami na identified (We have identified the target areas),” he said.
Torre threatened to arrest KOJC members who will try to block police officers from entering the premises.
He added that they would search again the structures where authorities suspected could be the hiding place of Quiboloy.
Quiboloy is facing charges for alleged child abuse, sexual abuse and qualified human trafficking, along with co-accused Jackielyn Roy, Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Ingrid Canada, and Sylvia Cemañes. Paulene was arrested last July 11 at her residence in Emily Homes Subdivision in Barangay Cabantian here.
In an online video of state-run Philippines News Agency, Torre said a red pick-up truck broke into a police checkpoint and barged into the compound. He said they have reason to believe that the vehicle, with “Quiboloy’s driver on the wheel,” was sent to fetch Quiboloy.
“Sila nagsabi na driver ng pastor (They were the ones who said it was Quiboloy’s driver),” Torre said.
Quiboloy’s lawyer, Israelito Torreon, said they will continue to assert the right of their client, pointing out that the National Bureau of Investigation already issued a certification that the arrest warrants have already been served.
Torreon said they tried to talk this out with Torre, but he is so determined to serve the warrant and even told us he has no time to argue. “Para walang away, hinayaan na namin siya,” he told GMA radio network.
When asked about the possibility of his client Quiboloy giving up, the lawyer said he “does not know what is in the mind of Pastor Quiboloy as I have not talked to him.” (Antonio L Colina IV with reports from Rommel Rebollido / MindaNews)
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