DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 06 September) – Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Robinhood Padilla went around the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound on Friday morning, Day 14 of the police operations to arrest Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, and found some evidences of tampering in some parts of the floors of the KOJC cathedral and in the floor and wall of the basement of the Jose Maria College.
At the basement of the JMC, Khashayar Toghyani, OIC of the Office of the City Building Official (OCBO) told the senators that a pit was dug there and concealed with freshly-dried concrete. “Mayroon talagang butas roon makita naman ninyo, pag-scrape niyo nung top, natatanggal siya” (There is a hole there. You can see that when you scrape the top, the concrete chips off), Toghyani told reporters at the sidelines of the ocular inspection.
Toghyani said this was based on assessments from using an ultrasonic concrete tester, which can determine concrete strength among others.
KOJC workers, on orders of Senator Bato dela Rosa, used a rotary hammer drill to chip away the still uncured concrete covering the pit at the JMC basement.
Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) workers, on orders of Senator Bato dela Rosa, use a rotary hammer drill to chip away the still uncured concrete covering the alleged digging hole done by police personnel at the basement of the JMC building inside the KOJC compound in Buhangin, Davao City on 6 September 2024. MindaNews photo by MANMAN DEJETO
The ocular inspection and hearing are an offshoot of the privilege speech delivered by Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on August 27, titled “Listen to the heartbeat of the people.”
Dela Rosa chairs the “Subcommittee on the Privilege Speech on the PNP Operation in the KOJC” of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights headed by Senator Aquilino Pimentel III. The sub-committee probe are held jointly with the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs which dela Rosa also chairs and which had conducted earlier hearings on the alleged use of “excessive force” in the June 10 police operations to arrest Quiboloy in the KOJC compound.
Toghyani said one of the holes in the basement of the JMC was covered with epoxy resin. He said they found two spots on the basement concealed with epoxy resin. Toghyani said it might be that one was used to mix sand and gravel while the other may have been a pit dug and concealed.
Before OCBO’s inspection, lumber, metal chairs and other construction materials were piled to cover the two spots.
KOJC workers remove construction materials used to cover an alleged digging hole at the basement of the JMC Building inside the KOJC compound in Buhangin, Davao City on 6 September 2024. Found underneath the piled construction materials was an uncured concrete covering the alleged digging hole done by personnel of the PNP. MindaNews photo by MANMAN DEJETO
The ocular inspection started at 10:03 a.m. as soon as dela Rosa arrived. Padilla arrived a few minutes later. Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go arrived nearly 11 a.m., and caught up with the other senators at the hangar.
Police personnel and their barricades around the cathedral, basement and other areas inside the compound were conspicuously absent during the inspection. Police presence was limited, a few of them watching on the sides or around the buildings.
At least 2,000 police personnel from at least four regions in Mindanao were deployed when operations began on August 24.
The inspection started inside the KOJC cathedral, where the senators and the media found several scrap wood. On an elevated platform, KOJC members showed the senators a hole covered with plywood. KOJC members told the senators that it was the police who “destroyed” that spot underneath the platform’s plush purple carpet. From the worship area, they also proceeded to inspect Quiboloy’s holding room.
Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Robinhood Padilla inspect a cover placed on the stage of the cathedral of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) inside the KOJC compound in Bunhangin, Davao City on 6 September 2024. A sub-committee of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights chaired by dela Rosa is investigating the conduct of the police operations to arrest the fugitive Pastor Apollo Quiboloy. MindaNews photo by MANMAN DEJETO
From the KOJC cathedral, they then went to inspect the JMC building’s basement and rode vehicles to proceed to the Apollo Air hangar and several areas near the King Dome.
On Thursday afternoon, Quiboloy’s lead counsel Israelito Torreon said he observed a decrease in number of police personnel inside the compound. “At least now we see that they are afraid of being exposed by the Senate. It’s good to see they are still concerned about scrutiny,” Torreon said.
Before the Senate hearing started on Friday, Brig. General Nicolas Torre III, the regional police chief, said they will continue digging after the hearing. Torre said they need to dig deeper as they have “very limited equipment” and are estimated to be off by around two feet. (Ian Carl Espinosa and Manman Dejeto / MindaNews)
