Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy. File photo by MANMAN DEJETO
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 25 April) – The local police here will apply for a search warrant before a local court once the Philippine National Police (PNP) approves the recommendation to revoke the gun permits issued to embattled Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy, founder of Kingdom of Jesus Christ and self-appointed “Son of God.”
During the Armed Forces of the Philippines-PNP press conference on Wednesday, Capt. Hazel Tuazon, Davao City Police Office spokesperson, said that this will be their course of action if Quiboloy would not voluntarily surrender his firearms.
“We will secure a search warrant to seize his firearms if his license to own firearms is revoked,” she said.
PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo earlier said that Quiboloy owns at least 19 firearms.
Tuazon said the police are still looking for Quiboloy, who has been in hiding even before the Senate ordered him arrested last March after he was cited in contempt for defying its order to appear in the investigations conducted by the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality.
The committee, which Senator Risa Hontiveros chairs, is investigating, in aid of legislation, Quiboloy’s alleged human trafficking and child abuses violations.
In a recorded statement aired on the Youtube channel of Sonshine Media Network International-owned DZAR 1021 last April 6, Quiboloy said he has been hiding to preserve himself from threats to his life and not to evade the allegations against him.
He accused the Marcos Jr. administration of being in cahoots with the US government in plotting an “extraordinary rendition” either to assassinate or kidnap him to bring him back to the US and make him face the numerous charges filed there.
In the US, Quiboloy has been on the wanted list of the Federal Bureau of Investigation since February 2022 amid numerous indictments for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion; conspiracy; and bulk cash smuggling after a federal warrant was issued in November 2021 against him.
Quiboloy said he will only come out of hiding to face the charges if President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will give a “written guarantee” that Americans will not meddle in the local proceedings.
He said that hiding from authorities is the “wisdom of our Lord God” to preserve himself and prevent him from falling into the trap.
The Regional Trial Court (RTC) – Branch 12 in Davao City issued a warrant of arrest against Quiboloy and his co-accused Jackielyn W. Roy, Barangay Tamayong chairman Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Ingrid C. Canada, and Sylvia Cemañes in the crime of child abuse last April 3.
This after Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla reversed the resolution of the Office of the City Prosecutor of Davao last March that dismissed the complaints for rape, qualified human trafficking, and child abuse against Quiboloy.
Cresente, Paulene, and Cemañes were arrested on the same day the warrant of arrest was issued while Roy and Ingrid surrendered the following day. All five were released from detention after posting bail of P80,000 each.
Last April 11, the RTC of Pasig City released a warrant of arrest against Quiboloy based on qualified human trafficking charges. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
