The Philippine National Police (PNP) is checking the gun ownership of the suspected members of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s alleged private army or the so-called angels of death.
At a press briefing, PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said Police Regional Office 11 (PRO 11) Police Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III told her that they already provided some names to the Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO).
“They already have some names and they already communicated with the FEO to determine kung yung mga pangalan na hawak nila ngayon ay nagmamay-ari ng mga baril and they are waiting for the response ng FEO,” Fajardo said.
(They already have some names and they already communicated with the FEO to determine if the names on their record own guns and they are waiting for the FEO’s response.)
Asked about the possible involvement of the Philippine Army’s 2nd Signal Battalion, which includes reservists from Quiboloy-owned Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), to the so-called angels of death, Fajardo said they cannot yet reveal the profile of the suspected members.
“There’s also a possibility na meron. Merong mga retired or even active members ng uniformed services (There’s also a possibility that there are members who are also part or former part of the uniformed services),” Fajardo said.
“But right now, hindi pa natin ma-reveal kung ano-ano ba ‘yung profile ng mga sinasabi na mga miyembro diumano ng angels of death (we can’t reveal yet the profile of the alleged members of the angels of death),” she added.
Philippine Army Deputy spokesperson Colonel Rey Balido on Tuesday said that SMNI was accredited as an affiliated reserve unit of the Philippine Army in 2015 and assigned the unit designation of 2nd Signal Battalion.
Philippine Army spokesperson Colonel Louie Dema-ala said the 2nd Reservist Signal Battalion has 540 reservists including two officer reservists and 538 enlisted reservists.
Up to 200 of them are Davao-based, according to Dema-ala.
SMNI legal counsel Atty. Mark Tolentino said some SMNI staff had been trained for the reserve force “as Filipino” and “not as private army of KOJC.”
“Nag-training lang some staff ng SMNI sa reserve force. Not as SMNI staff, but as Filipino. I am also a reservist. We complied all the requirements to be part of the reservist as a Filipino, not as private army of KOJC,” he said.
(Some SMNI staff just trained in the reserve force. Not as SMNI staff, but as Filipinos. I am also a reservist. We fulfilled all the requirements to be part of the reservist as a Filipino, not as a private army of KOJC.)
KOJC lawyer Atty. Israelitio Torreon said the existence of a private army controlled by Quiboloy is “not true.”
“If this is true, then this private army would have surely been unleashed during the 16 days KOJC siege where the members were subjected to so much violence and tramplings of their constitutional and human rights,” he added.
“Yet, you never saw even one of them brandish a firearm in order to retaliate against the policemen. Instead, you saw bread and food being given to the policemen by the KOJC members. Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy has millions of private prayer warriors not a private army,” he added.
The “angels of death” were mentioned by Quiboloy’s alleged rape victims who came forward to the police.
According to the PNP, the victims said they were warned that if they tell anyone about their sexual activities with Quiboloy, they will be hunted by the “angels of death.” — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
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