The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Saturday maintained its presence at the premises of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ Compound (KOJC) in Davao City despite inclement weather as the operation to serve the arrest warrant against Pastor Apollo Quiboloy entered its eighth day.
According to a report by Jaycel Villacorte of Super Radyo Davao, PNP Police Regional Office (PRO) XI forces continued to secure the area inside and outside the compound amid rains due to a low pressure area (LPA).
The PRO XI previously said it would continue to deploy cops at the site until Quiboloy is captured.
GMA Regional TV One Mindanao reported that based on video from the KOJC legal team, policemen were using a high-sensitivity metal detector inside the holding room of the KOJC cathedral on Saturday before dawn.
In another video clip also provided by the KOJC legal team, policemen could be seen inside the KOJC cathedral. The footage was supposedly taken on Friday morning.
GMA News Online has asked the PNP and the KOJC regarding the use of the metal detector. Comment was also requested from the KOJC legal team regarding the continued police deployment.
Also on Friday, Police Major Catherine dela Rey, spokesperson of the Davao regional police, condemned the actions of KOJC members who alleged pointed laser devices on PNP helicopters.
Dela Rey urged KOJC members to stop such actions for the safety of all parties, saying that the PNP was just performing its duties.
Lasers pointed?
In a dzBB interview on Friday, KOJC legal counsel Israelito Torreon said the PNP has no evidence that members of the religious group committed such acts.
“It is even probable that a PNP member did that simply because of the fact that their presence here is overwhelming and the KOJC members have no capacity to do that,” he said.
Torreon added said that even if the KOJC members committed the acts, it may have been done due to “desperation and frustration” due to the continued PNP presence in the KOJC compound.
“The PNP is already here for seven days (as of Friday) and they have practically converted this very sacred property and very nice property into a police garrison, and right now they are undergoing jack-hammering and paneling operations below the empty basement and we could not even have accessed the scene,” he said.
The KOJC on Wednesday asked a Davao court to issue a show cause order against Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. and the PNP, represented by Police General Rommel Marbil.
This developed after the Davao RTC-Branch 15 issued a temporary protection order(TPO) in favor of the KOJC, directing the PNP to cease actions that threaten the safety and security of KOJC members.
Last time they spoke
Meanwhile, 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.
“That was the last time that I saw him… [It was] before the issuance of the warrant of arrest. I think it was March this year,” Torreon said.
He added, “May kasama siyang umalis. Walang binanggit kung saan siya pumunta (Someone accompanied him when he left. He didn’t mention where he went). But before, we talked for a long time here in the KOJC compound.”
He also said that he had not talked to Quiboloy since then, and that he had no idea where he was.
Abalos earlier expressed optimism that Quiboloy remains inside the KOJC compound.
A total of 29 KOJC members are facing complaints after 60 police officers were hurt implementing the arrest warrants against Quiboloy, according to PRO 11.
The complaints against KOJC members are for obstruction of justice and direct assault.
On Thursday, authorities reported the discovery of secret hallways inside the compound’s cathedral.
However, one of their ministers denied the existence of such, saying that the hallway connected the backstage to the main stage.
Arrest warrants were issued by Davao and Pasig courts against Quiboloy and others for alleged violation of the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act as well as qualified human trafficking.
He 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.
Quiboloy’s camp has repeatedly denied the allegations against him. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
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