DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 28 April) — Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros called on the Philippine National Police (PNP) to disband the alleged “private army” of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder, Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy in this city.
This after the PNP chief Rommel Marbil approved on Friday the recommendation to revoke the gun permits of the fugitive religious leader.
In a statement on Saturday, Hontiveros, chair of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, the committee that is conducting an investigation in aid of legislation into the “reported violation of human trafficking, rape, sexual abuse and violence, and child abuse” of Quiboloy and the KOJC.
She said members of the “private army” of the embattled KOJC founder and self-appointed “Son of God” are brandishing their firearms on social media.
The senator said she hopes all firearms will be confiscated and none will be left in the hands of KOJC members.
PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo earlier said Quiboloy owns at least 19 firearms.
Hontiveros lauded the decision of the PNP to revoke the gun permits and hopes that Quiboloy will be placed under the custody of the police soon.
Hontiveros said Quiboloy “continues to mock our institutions,” including the Senate and the police by continuously hiding from authorities and by releasing an audio recording recently where he gave a “riddle” of his hideout.
“Matapos nilang pagdiskitahan ang Senado bilang institusyon, ngayon naman, ang ating kapulisan ang iniinsulto. Hindi tayo papayag na pagmukhain niya tayong tanga (After making fun of Senate as an institution, he is now insulting our police. We will not allow him to make us look like fools),” she added.
Quiboloy has been in hiding even before the Senate cited him for contempt for continuously defying the Senate Committee’s order to appear before it. The warrant for his arrest was served on his laywers in Davao City on March 19.
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 US 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.
The RTC-Branch 12 in Davao City released 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.
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 at 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)