DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 24 September) – The police are now looking for the parents of the underage girls who were seen inside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound during the 16-day operations to arrest Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy, the self-proclaimed “appointed son of God.”
Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, Police Regional Office-11 (PRO-11) director, told reporters at Camp Sgt. Quintin M. Merecido in this city Sunday that they hope the parents would reach out to authorities and file their respective complaints.
“We will look for the parents, kaya nga nagpapa-public information kami kasi nga hinahanap namin ang mga bata na yon (that’s why we are putting out public information because we are looking for those children),” he said.
When police attempted to search a room inside the ACQ College of Ministries, or the Bible school, Torre said that KOJC members allegedly prevented them from going inside as there were children sleeping.
He said that the officers of the Women and Children’s Protection Desk of the Davao City Police Office found “five to seven” underage girls inside the room, but when social workers from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) returned to inspect the following day, the children could no longer be found.
“Kanila lang namang salita yun. Nakita ng mga tao natin na tulog ng mga oras na yun 6 p.m. ng hapon? Most probably inutusan nila ang mga yun na mahiga kayo, magtalukbong kayo. Mga batang babae (That’s just made up. My officers found them sleeping at 6 p.m.? Most probably, they were asked to lie down and cover themselves. Those were underage girls),” Torre said.
He claimed the DSWD found the room “not suitable for minors” – aged 12, 13, and 14 –as their parents were not with them.
Torre hoped that complainants would come forward as the police could not do anything without them.
“Naghihintay kami ngayon ng complainants, kasi ang minors nakita namin pero hindi namin alam ang circumstances kung legal ba sila dun. Without the complainants, wala. Pero I believe may darating. Hopefully, may darating (We are now waiting for complainants, because we saw the minors but we do not know their circumstances if their stay there was legal. Without the complainants, nothing. But I believe someone will come out. Hopefully, someone will come out),” he said.
The police operations at the KOJC compound started on August 24 and ended on September 8 when Quiboloy and co-accused were arrested.
Quiboloy and his co-accused pleaded not guilty, in separate arraignments last September 13, to child abuse and sexual abuse charges before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Quezon City, and qualified human trafficking charges before the RTC in Pasig City.
His co-accused include Jackielyn W. Roy, Barangay Tamayong chair Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Ingrid C. Canada, and Sylvia Cemañes. Paulene was arrested last July 11 at her residence in Emily Homes Subdivision in Barangay Cabantian here. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
