Police forces guard the KOJC compound’s Emerald entrance gate after members opened it on Monday, 02 September 2024. MindaNews photo by IAN CARL ESPINOSA
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 02 September) – Heavily-armed police forces tried to forcibly open Monday the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound’s Emerald entrance, a large gate going towards the Jose Maria College (JMC), a school also founded in this city by fugitive preacher Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.
The police forces are part of the team led by Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, Police Regional Office – 11 (PRO-11) director, who are trying to arrest Quiboloy and his four other co-accused.
They are hounded by arrest warrants from two Philippine courts and the Senate for alleged large-scale human trafficking and sexual abuse, among other charges.
The police operation to arrest the controversial KOJC founder is now on Day 10.
Some KOJC members, who declined to be named for security reasons, told MindaNews the police gathered in formation at the gate as early as 5 a.m., though they let KOJC members go in and out the compound.
At around 8:00 a.m., Torre told the police forces manning the Emerald entrance to open the gate, the KOJC members said.
This caused heated arguments between the KOJC members and the police.
“We can do this in a peaceful way, or pupwersahin namin yang gate na ‘yan. Magreklamo kayo kung gusto niyo magreklamo, pero ngayon ang gate na’yan ay bubuksan para may access tayo sa paghahanap kay Apollo Quiboloy (or we will force open the gate. You can complain if you want, but now you need to open the gate so we can have access to search for Apollo Quiboloy),” Torre said through a MAN truck as livestreamed by GMA News’ One Mindanao.
Torre emphasized that KOJC members preventing the gate can be considered “obstruction of justice.”
The police official instructed the arrest of KOJC members who will barricade the Emerald gate or try to prevent the police from opening it.
After seven minutes of negotiations, KOJC members can be seen voluntarily opening the gate for the police.
KOJC lead legal counsel Israelito Torreon posted in his Facebook page at 9:02 a.m. that the police initially tried to unlock the gate with a bolt cutter.
Torreon described the move of the police as “harassment and provoking the members into anger,” given that police officers have already access to the KOJC compound gate near the King Dome.
He said the police allegedly wanted the Emerald gate opened so they can bring in boxes that would not be subjected to a scanning machine.
In a separate press conference, PRO-11 spokesperson Major Catherine Dela Rey said the police “will not plant evidences” against Quiboloy inside the KOJC compound.
“Hindi sinira [ng pulis] ang KOJC compound, kami ay umapela sa kanila na i-open ang gate kasi patuloy pa rin naman iyong ginagawa naming implementation of the warrant of arrest (The police did not destroy the KOJC compound. We actually pleaded KOJC members to open the gate because we are still serving the warrant of arrest),” Dela Rey said.
Yesterday, September 1, Vice President Sara Duterte told KOJC members during their 39th anniversary to use the “words of God” against the police forces and urged them “to love their enemies.”
Duterte assured KOJC members of her support “during this difficult period,” which she referred to as “disaster.” (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)
