DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 07 September) – A police official on Friday warned of more arrests if followers of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) would continue to commit “obstruction of justice” and “harassment” in the continuing hunt for their fugitive leader Apollo Quiboloy.
BGen Nicolas Torre III, chief of the Philippine National Police in the Davao region says on Day 12, September 4, 2024, that he is “even more certain” that Pastor Apollo Quiboloy is in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ compound. MindaNews photo by CAROLYN O. ARGUILLAS
“Madaragdagan ang aresto, sigurado (Expect more arrests, that’s for sure),” Police Regional Office – Region 11 director BGen Nicolas Torre III said in an ambush interview Friday night after an eight-hour Senate committee hearing held at the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
“Not tomorrow, tonight,” Torre said when asked on when he will impose his directive.
Torre made the statement despite being questioned at length during the hearing by the Senate committee on justice and human rights headed by Senator Bato dela Rosa, and appeals from the KOJC representatives regarding their “prolonged” stay inside the group’s compound in Barangay Buhangin.
He said the “stricter” measure is part of the operation to capture KOJC founder Apollo Quiboloy and his four other co-accused for sex trafficking, among other cases.
He said he will arrest KOJC members who would commit “obstruction of justice” and “harassment”. He added they were just given a chance earlier.
During the hearing, Torre presented videos showing KOJC members shouting, recording, and pushing the police officers.
KOJC members are doing “obstruction of justice” and “harassment,” hampering police operations, he said during the hearing attended by Senators dela Rosa, Christopher Go and Robinhood Padilla.
He admitted that the operations included doing excavations to find the suspected bunker where Quiboloy could be hiding.
He said the police routinely searched at the compound’s cathedral and Jose Maria College using life and motion detectors to detect heartbeat and pulses.
He said he will ensure that they will deploy arresting officers “round the clock” to arrest potential violators.
“The search will be conducted in our own terms, not theirs… We have ways to enforce that, when need arises,” he said.
He, however, clarified that their national office has not given a directive to PRO-11.
‘Unjustified’
During the hearing, dela Rosa questioned Torre’s “unjustified” prolonged stay in the KOJC compound.
“Alam mo, the way I see it right now, no matter how you defend your position, you are at a losing end,” dela Rosa said.
“You cannot justify your existence there in the compound for how many days na. I know you are pressured by your commanders to arrest Quiboloy,” he added.
The senator said that Torre and the 3,000 police personnel involved in the operation might be in an “unsure and pressured situation,” thus they just stayed in the compound.
He said the 13-day police presence there is detrimental to the wellbeing of the KOJC members and police personnel as well.
“I am appealing to you in the name of humanity, please be human enough to consider all these things,” dela Rosa told Torre.
KOJC lead legal counsel Israelito Torreon called the police presence “confusing” and “untrammeled”.
He again contested Torre, saying the police do not have a search warrant allowing them to search the area.
Dela Rosa ended the hearing by calling on both the KOJC and Philippine National Police to observe “peace, sobriety and cooperation humanely” and “respect the human rights of everyone.” (Ian Carl Espinosa/MindaNews)
