September 10, 2024 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — It was in a “bible school” at the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound where alleged sexual abuser and human trafficker Apollo Quiboloy eventually turned up and got arrested, Davao Police Regional Office chief Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III said yesterday.
At a press briefing at Camp Crame, Torre said the surrender was “a formality” as government forces already had Quiboloy cornered at the ACQ College of Ministry, a bible school within the KOJC compound.
“Whether he liked it or not, the end result was the same. He had no other options,” Torre said.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) had set an assault deadline of 1 p.m. on Sunday, but it was extended to 3 p.m. to give way to negotiations.
Torre said the delay was partly due to Bar exams being held nearby.
Quiboloy’s camp had been sending surrender feelers as early as 10 a.m. as KOJC members were beginning to realize they were surrounded.
The religious sect leader was immediately transported to Manila under heavy security on board a C-130 transport plane.
With over 1,000 police officers from the Special Action Force and the Regional Mobile Force Battalion SWAT team surrounding the compound, Quiboloy’s legal team entered into negotiations with the police, asking for additional time to finalize his surrender.
At a Senate hearing in Davao City last Sept. 6, the floor plans of the compound were revealed, giving authorities more information about locations where the KOJC leader could possibly be hiding.
Despite not getting the cooperation of the Davao City Office of Building Official, police were still able to obtain critical information about the location.
“We had full knowledge of where he was hiding, and he knew we were there. It was just a matter of time,” Torre explained.
PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil acknowledged the complexity of the operation, noting that KOJC had engaged in deception tactics to delay the police’s progress.
“It is a game of deception. For 16 days, we were deceived at times, but our intelligence and persistence prevailed,” Marbil said.
The PNP also confirmed that insider tipsters, including female members of KOJC, contributed to the operation’s success.
Quiboloy’s surrender followed weeks of tension, with the PNP tightening security around the compound to cover all possible escape routes for Quiboloy.
The fugitive pastor faces multiple charges, including human trafficking, child abuse and sexual abuse both in the Philippines and the United States. He is also on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s wanted list.
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