DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 02 September) – The heartbeat detected by a ground-penetrating radar beneath some buildings within the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound here is of human origin, an official of the Police Regional Office – 11 (PRO-11) said on Monday.
In a press conference at Camp Sgt. Quintin M. Merecido, Police Major Catherine Dela Rey, PRO-11 spokesperson, said the expert operating the device confirmed that the detected heartbeat and movement underground “belongs to a human, and not just of any animal.”
She said the device used to aid the search for fugitive Pastor Apollo Quiboloy at the KOJC compound is the same equipment used in several search and retrieval operations of survivors trapped underground in the aftermath of disasters such as earthquakes.
“Yung operator ng device ang nagsasabi na tao talaga ang heartbeat. Hindi sya heartbeat ng daga o ano mang hayop. Kasi pag ganun, hindi pala effective yung previous na successful na retrieval at rescue operations na ginagamit yung machine (The device operator confirms that the heartbeat belongs to a human, and not of a rat or any other animal because otherwise, the previous retrieval and rescue operations using the machine would not have been successful),” she added.
Dela Rey said that based on the monitoring, law enforcers have identified the possible locations of the bunkers but they are having difficulty locating the entrance to these underground facilities.
“May heartbeat under the ground. Kung saan ang bunker, saan ang entrance, yan ang inaalam natin (There is heartbeat detected underground. We are still trying to determine where the bunker is and its entrance),” Dela Rey added.
She said the location of the detected heartbeat and alleged movement of a human being underground “is constantly changing, suggesting that there could be underground facilities that the police have yet to reach.”
Dela Rey said that she has “no information” whether the police have conducted a drilling in the basement of the Jose Maria College (JMC), one of the buildings within the KOJC compound being searched.
On Sunday, Atty. Israelito Torreon, KOJC lead counsel, posted a photo of the alleged drilling activity by the police in the basement of JMC, and asked General Rommel Marbil, chief of the Philippine National Police, if he ordered this.
In his letter addressed to Marbil dated September 1, Torreon demanded that police should cease and desist from drilling activities as he expressed concerns that the excavation “could pose significant risks to the stability of the structures, particularly within the basement of the JMC building and other areas of the KOJC compound.”
“Over the past five days, we have received numerous reports and audio recordings of heavy drilling emanating from the basement. Despite our attempts to verify the nature of these activities, our access to the basement and cathedral areas of the property—property legally owned by the KOJC—has been unlawfully restricted by the police personnel under your command,” he said.
He said the KOJC could not conduct an assessment of the damage and the full extent of the drilling activities but maintained that the restriction constitutes a “violation of their fundamental rights and undermines the sanctity of their religious and educational spaces.”
“The experts have warned that if the excavation extends deeper than the footing depth, there is a high risk of losing lateral earth support. This could lead to subsidence or settlement of the structure, along with excessive shearing of the soil under and around the footings, ultimately compromising the integrity of the entire building,” he said.
Dela Rey declined to specify the current locations where officers are searching, saying that this information is part of the “tactical operations” and could jeopardize the efforts to locate Quiboloy and four of his five co-accused.
The operations to locate Quiboloy entered Day 10 on Monday, September 2.
Quiboloy is facing charges for alleged child abuse and qualified human trafficking, along with co-accused Jackielyn Roy, Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Ingrid Canada, and Sylvia Cemañes. Paulene was arrested last July 11 at her residence in Emily Homes Subdivision in Barangay Cabantian here.
These suspects have two warrants of arrest issued by the Regional Trial Court (RTC)-Branch 12 in Davao City and the RTC in Pasig City last April 3 and April 11, respectively.
Last May 28, the Supreme Court’s Second Division ordered the transfer of the two criminal cases from RTC in Davao to RTC in Quezon City. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
