Police, KoJC trade allegations | The Manila Times

Police and Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) lawyers traded allegations of abuse over the raid on the home of fugitive evangelist Apollo Quiboloy, wanted for child sexual abuse and human trafficking.

During a Senate hearing on Friday, Philippine National Police (PNP) 11 (Davao Region) Director Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III said unarmed female PNP personnel were frisked before they could do their job and search the Davao City compound for Quiboloy.

During the public hearing of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights in Davao City, Torre said they allowed this after negotiations with the KOJC lawyers on the first day of the search for Quiboloy and five others accused of aggravated human trafficking and violating the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.

Director Brig. Gene. Nicolas Torre III. (Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate Social Media Unit)

“During the negotiations, the lawyers did not immediately release the PNP personnel. They only agreed to specific conditions: 10 female personnel, and they must be frisked,” Torre told the commission while showing a video of KOJC members frisking the policewomen.

“We had to endure that humiliation because we only argued with them when we disagreed,” he said.

Torre also showed a video of them searching rooms in the ACQ College of Ministry Building. She said the 10 police officers were unable to do their job properly as KoJC members “surrounded, led and forbade” them from opening some rooms.

But Israëlito Torreon, legal counsel at KOJC, said the videos Torre presented to the panel were from the ninth day of the search.

“They’ve already searched that area, Your Honor. I don’t know why they like that area so much, the Bible School. From day one, that’s been searched multiple times,” Torreon said.

Senator Ronald de la Rosa, who chaired the hearing, criticized Torre for allowing the 10 police officers to conduct the search without taking their firearms.

“If your purpose in going in there is to arrest Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, you only let in 10 women without firearms, who were also frisked by KoJC members; what if Pastor (Quiboloy) had weapons inside and opened fire on your policemen? Will you let 10 of your policemen die?” De la Rosa asked Torre.

Torre replied, “That’s one of the risks we have to take, sir.”

But de la Rosa said he felt it was the wrong decision for a commander.

“I take responsibility for that, sir,” Torre replied.

The public hearing was held following de la Rosa’s speech on the privilege, in which he expressed concern over the deployment of 2,000 police officers from different regions of Mindanao and their decision to station themselves inside and outside the KoJC complex in Davao City.

De la Rosa, a former PNP leader, criticized what he called the excessive use of PNP personnel to arrest Quiboloy, disrupting the activities of the KoJC and the community of Davao City.

He also noted that KOJC members claimed the search of their complex was illegal as no search warrant had been issued.

De la Rosa served as police chief during the term of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who considers Quiboloy an ally and spiritual advisor.

According to Quiboloy’s lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, the wanted evangelist was no longer present at the KoJC complex in Davao.

Topacio said “no one can survive that long” as authorities claim Quiboloy is hiding in an underground bunker in the complex.

“Also, the pastor is a very intelligent person, so if he’s going to hide from the authorities, he’s not going to hide where he can be cornered. You would go outside where you have more room to move. You wouldn’t let yourself be locked in,” Topacio said.

He said authorities could keep a close eye on the entire complex but could not be present there permanently.

Topacio also alleged that police continued to commit several human rights violations against the KoJC and its members at the religious group’s compound in Davao. He did not specify what those violations were, however.

Local government secretary Benhur Abalos, on the other hand, insisted that Quiboloy is still on the premises.

“According to our intelligence report, he is still there,” Abalos said at a news forum in Quezon City on Saturday.

He said the PNP also believed this.