Authorities started to receive information on the possible location of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy following the announcement of a P10 million reward, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Thursday.
In a press briefing, PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said Police Regional Office (PRO) 11 director Police Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III gave her the update.
“According to him, may mga tumawag po doon sa hotlines. At after po nating i-announce ‘yung reward at marami pong nagbigay ng information,” she said.
(According to him, some people called the hotlines there. And after we announced the reward, many people provided information.)
“But hindi naman natin tatanggapin kaagad-agad po ito baka meron po doon ay nililigaw ‘yung ating focus kung saan po ‘yung sa tingin natin ay maaaring matagpuan itong mga wanted persons po na ating hinahanap,” she added.
(But we will not accept it hook, line, and sinker because some might provide misleading information.)
Aside from this, Fajardo said the police are also wary of prank calls so they are thoroughly verifying the information given to them.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos on Monday said a reward worth P10 million is being offered for any information that will lead to the arrest of Quiboloy.
Aside from Quiboloy, who is the leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) church, P1 million each is also offered for the other five co-accused.
The rewards came from private citizens, according to Abalos. Quiboloy’s camp questioned the motives of private individuals who offered the bounty.
“May mga kwestyon lang po kami… kung [bakit] ayaw sabihin ni Secretary Abalos kung sino itong mga pribadong taong ito para malaman natin at makilatis natin ang kanilang motibo kung bakit itong si Pastor Quiboloy ay binibigyan nila ng napakalaking pabuya,” Quiboloy’s legal counsel Atty. Ferdinand Topacio said.
(We have questions… why Secretary Abalos doesn’t want to divulge who these private people are so we can know their motives on why they would give Pastor Quiboloy such a big bounty.)
Arrest warrants were issued against Quiboloy and others for alleged violation of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act and Republic Act No. 9208 or Qualified Human Trafficking.
Quiboloy went into hiding shortly after the Senate issued an arrest order against him for refusing to attend the chamber’s hearings.
The police raided several properties owned by KOJC in Davao City, Samal Island, and Sarangani to serve the arrest warrants to the controversial televangelist but to no avail.
Quiboloy has also been indicted by a federal grand jury in the US District Court for the Central District of California for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion; conspiracy; and bulk cash smuggling.
In 2022, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation also issued “wanted” posters for Quiboloy and two other members of his KOJC, namely Teresita Tolibas Dandan and Helen Panilag.—AOL, GMA Integrated News
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