Senator Ronald dela Rosa on Saturday urged Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy to surrender to authorities so that its members’ lives could “return to normal.”
“Isa rin ako sana nananawagan na kung pwede lang para naman matahimik na yung lugar na yan at mga tao ay balik na sa normal na pamumuhay,” Dela Rosa said in a radio interview.
(I would also like to urge Quiboloy to surrender so that peace would return in the KOJC compound in Davao and for the lives of its people to go back to normal.)
“Kung pwede lang ini-encourage natin na mag-surrender siya pero at the end of the day, it’s his call,” he added.
(If only we could encourage him to surrender but at the end of the day, it’s his call.)
Written declaration
Quiboloy’s lawyer Atty. Israelito Torreon on Friday reiterated Quiboloy’s condition for President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to issue a written declaration that he would not be rendered to the United States.
The KOJC leader is alleged to have engaged in sex trafficking by force, coercion, and sex trafficking of children in the United States.
Quiboloy is facing charges under Section 5(b) and Section 10(a) of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act.
He is also facing a non-bailable qualified human trafficking charge under Section 4(a) of Republic Act No. 9208, as amended, before a Pasig court.
Dela Rosa said he does not see Quiboloy’s condition as a “demand.”
“Parang kondisyones nya siguro, para sa kung magkaroon ng negosasyon for his surrender. Parang ganon lang. My assumption only,” the senator said.
“No wanted person can demand from authorities. Unless meron siyang hawak na hostage,” he added.
(Maybe, it’s like a condition for if there is a negotiation for his surrender. It’s like that. That’s my assumption only. No wanted person can demand from authorities. Unless he is holding someone hostage.)
DOJ Undersecretary Raul Vasquez on Saturday also said that “no one in government can give that guarantee, strictly speaking.”
“In the first place, no government official would want to violate the law… lahat ng treaties natin nagfo-force [into] law once it is signed and conferred in by the Senate,” Vasquez said.
Torreon, however, said “it is clearly within the President’s power to assure protection to his citizens, via written declaration, that they will not be extraordinarily rendered to foreign countries with or without extradition treaties.”
Losing Hope
Dela Rosa, meanwhile, said he is “losing hope” that Quiboloy is in the KOJC compound since the police have not found him yet despite looking for days.
The senator earlier called President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to order the withdrawal of 2,000 cops deployed in the KOJC compound as the religious freedom and academic rights of its members were impacted by the police operations.
The Philippine National Police on Saturday maintained its presence at the premises of the KOJC compound in Davao City despite inclement weather as the operation to serve the arrest warrant against Quiboloy entered its eighth day.
Torreon assured that the KOJC Board of Administrators have consistently reported that Quiboloy was not at the compound.
He also said that he has not seen the pastor since March, where he saw Quiboloy riding a car while leaving the compound.
— Mariel Celine Serquiña/ VAL, GMA Integrated News
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