One of the biggest months-long manhunts by the Philippine National Police (PNP) has still not found Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, sought by the Philippine government on charges of human rights violations and by the FBI and the Central District of California on sex human trafficking, money laundering, marriage fraud, smuggling and other charges.
Last week, the PNP sent a task force of more than 100 men to the headquarters in Davao City of the controversial religious leader and founder of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), where his followers blocked their path.
Some politicians including former president Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Imee Marcos accused the PNP of “overkill” in sending such a large contingent.
This led to suspicions that very powerful people were protecting Quiboloy. Sen. Risa Hontiveros told the PNP that they should guarantee none of their members tasked with apprehending the religious leader was being influenced by the likes of Duterte, who is not only a close associate of Quiboloy but who has assumed control of the KOJC’s assets.
Quiboloy has been ordered arrested by two regional courts in relation to cases of sexual abuse of a minor and child abuse filed in Davao and human trafficking in Pasig.
Five of Quiboloy’s associates — Ingrid Canada, Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Jackielyn Roy, and Sylvia Cemañes – posted bail in Davao but did not do so in Pasig, resulting in their inclusion on the arrest warrant.
In a statement, Duterte lambasted what he said was the PNP’s use of “excessive and unnecessary force” within the vicinity of a place of worship and on the premises of a school owned by the KOJC.
Duterte added that the police officers conducting the raid were not even from Davao City. He also said that the Marcos administration failed to guarantee the preservation of constitutional rights.
“Will this overkill be the trademark of this administration when dealing with individuals who are merely accused of committing a crime and have not been proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt?” Duterte asked.
Police, including members of the Special Action Force commando group, searched the KOJC properties dressed in full battle gear on June 10 (Manila time) but came up empty.
The team was comprised of officers from various regions and had reportedly trained hard for the operations.
The group’s failure did not sit well with Dr. Manuel Jaudian, former president of the Professional Criminologists’ Association of the Philippines. He said the police commanders involved should be made to explain why they launched such a large operation without knowing where their targets were.
Jaudian told local media: “Clearly, the intelligence units did not function. Like blind boxers, they went to Quiboloy’s properties with arrest warrants. Where are the intelligence funds intended for situations like this? They are wasting time and resources.”
He added that the way the PNP carried out the operation indicated that the raids were “merely for show” just to comply with orders from their superiors.
Based on rules, law enforcers need to serve arrest warrants within 10 days of issuance and return them to the issuing court with a report on their compliance, or in this case their non-compliance.
Sen. Hontiveros, whose Senate committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality’s investigation was the first of the steps that led to the warrant of arrest being issued against a man perceived to be very powerful both economically and politically, said the PNP leadership should not allow Duterte to protect Quiboloy.
She called on Quiboloy to surrender and to “cooperate with our law enforcers.”
“You have nowhere to hide,” she addressed Quiboloy, who earlier said he would never be caught alive.
