MANILA, Philippines — Former president Rodrigo Duterte over the weekend condemned the police raid on the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KoJC) compound last Saturday to serve arrest warrants for Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.
”Our country has never been in a more tragic state as it is today. Rights have been trampled upon and our laws derided,” the former leader said in a statement.
Duterte issued the statement after 2,000 Philippine National personnel stormed the KoJC compound and searched for Quiboloy, who is wanted for human trafficking and sexual abuse.
One KoJC member was confirmed to have died of a heart attack while “many others” required medical attention.
”We sympathize with the members of the KoJC for having become victims of political harassment, persecution, violence, and abuse of authority. This certainly puts a dark stain on the hands of those involved in today’s incident, led by no less than the top police official of the region,” he added.
Duterte appealed to the “remaining decent and patriotic members of our government” to not allow themselves “to be used and to be abusive and violent in enforcing illegal orders.”
“We call on all Filipinos, regardless of political persuasion, to offer prayers for peace and justice, and to spare our people of the unwarranted tension brought about by the reign of fear and terror by people sworn to uphold the law and protect the citizens of this country,” he said.
“Again, let us ask this administration how it can guarantee the preservation of the constitutional rights of our fellow Filipinos when even the most fundamental of these rights are being blatantly violated,” he added.
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