TURNING POINT: The Tales of two Fugitives

NAAWAN, Misamis Oriental (MindaNews / 29 Aug)—The state security forces are on their toes hunting two notorious fugitives from justice: Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, the kingpin in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) aka the Appointed Son of God (ASG), and Guo Hua Ping aka Alice Guo, the Chinese spy who became the mayor of Bamban, Tarlac.

Pastor Quiboloy has been the spiritual adviser of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. He has, accordingly, seven million followers all over the world.

Quiboloy is accused of trafficking his followers to the US to solicit donations for bogus charities. He also is allegedly charged with sexual harassment in requiring his female followers, some underage, to have sex with him as a religious duty.

He had been charged with alleged child abuse under Republic Act No. 7610 before a Quezon City court; and qualified human trafficking under RA No. 9208, as amended, before a Pasig court. A ₱10-million reward is offered for information leading to his arrest.

Quiboloy became publicly scarce once President Duterte’s term ended in 2022.

He refused to honor a Senate invitation to a hearing on child abuse and human trafficking; and was ordered arrested. He started hiding thereupon.

Mayor Alice Guo, on the other hand, is accused of allowing human trafficking syndicates and cyber scam operatives in her town by masquerading as online casinos, that were also engaged in money laundering, prostitution, forced labor, torture, and murder.

Guo attended the Senate hearing to clear herself of the crimes associated with POGO operations. Once, however, she was unmasked not a Filipino but a Chinese national, and a spy at that, she became invisible. She suddenly disappeared.

Guo managed to flee the country and is now in hiding somewhere in Indonesia. Although the cancelation of her Philippine passport is a little late and a step behind, it prohibits her from staying any longer in Indonesia or leaving that country; assuming, that she has no Chinese passport.

Upon request, and as a matter of cooperative courtesy, Indonesia may deport Guo to the Philippines to face her accusers. That would be the end of her run.

Meanwhile, Quiboloy did not flee but secured himself inside his bunker facilities underneath the various infrastructures in his 30-hectare compound near Davao’s Bangoy International Airport. Accordingly, his bunker has intricate tunnels, which have escape routes, one of which leads to his hangar in the airport.

Police who were to serve the arrest warrant of Quiboloy on August 24 were thwarted by his followers but which have, accordingly, caused injuries and hospitalization to some. On the 25th, skirmishes ensued between the phalanx of KOJC followers and the warrant-serving police officers resulting in injuries on both sides.

Quiboloy remains in hiding.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos urged him to surrender peacefully to avoid another untoward incident.

The Appointed Son of God cannot, however, hide till kingdom come. Any assistance extended to him is an obstruction of justice. He has to surface sooner or later to survive.

(MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. William R. Adan, Ph.D., is retired professor and former chancellor of Mindanao State University at Naawan, Misamis Oriental.)