DAVAO CITY, Philippines -Two-thousand police personnel deployed to search for fugitive preacher Apollo Quiboloy have worked non-stop since dawn of Saturday in his 30-hectare Kingdom of Jesus Christ compound.
The troops entered the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound at 5 am to serve the warrants of arrest on Quiboloy and his four associates who is facing charges of human trafficking, sexual and child abuse. The controversial preacher is also wanted in the United States for similar charges.
The 2,000 personnel come from the Philippine National Police Regional Office (PRO) XI with PROs from regions 10 (Northern Mindanao), 12 (Socsksargen) and 13 (Caraga) led by PRO 11 Director Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III.
Torre faced reporters around 10 am on Saturday saying they are positive Quiboloy is hiding inside the compound based on intelligence reports and a radar detection machine.
The general said they will not stop until they find Quiboloy.
Around 10 am, Torre said they are still combing through one-fourth of the KOJC area as police officers faced difficulties with activities conducted by KOJC members inside the compound.
By nighttime, with officers visibly tired lacking sleep, Torre ordered police personnel to work in shifts to guard the compound as he believed Quiboloy might sneak out of the compound at night. He ordered search operations to resume at 6 am Sunday.
Torre said they also found tunnels inside the compound where the preacher might possibly be hiding.
There was tension outside of KOJC the whole day as hundreds of KOJC members rallied and confronted police officers. By nighttime, followers gathered for a prayer for their leader.
Members accused the police of physical harassment and blamed them for the alleged deaths of seven members during the operations.
Quiboloy lawyer Israelito Torreon later clarified that one member died and alleged 16 members, including children were hurt. Two police ambulances entered and exited the compound around mid-afternoon.
PRO-XI spokesperson Major Catherine Dela Rey confirmed at 10 am the death of a KOJC member due to lack of sleep and food for days guarding the back portion of the compound.
A statement from the PRO-XI later identified the member as Edwin Escubido Cabatbat, a 51-year-old food vendor, who collapsed at the compound’s watchtower. The statement said Cabatbat’s death is not related to the search operation as he already had a medical condition.
Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa, who served as Davao City Police chief and PNP National Director, arrived at the KOJC compound around 4 pm to talk with Torre and Torreon.
Quiboloy’s lawyer Torreon had appealed to Torre to stop the operations as the search is not valid. Torreon said a warrant had been served a week ago by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). But Torre said they are following orders. Dela Rosa told Torre not to impede KOJC members from entering the compound.
But the senator also urged Quiboloy to come out from hiding. “Surrender, you cannot hide forever,” Dela Rosa aired his statement to reporters.
The 73-year old Quiboloy has not been seen in public since January this year as he evaded a senate inquiry on trafficking and abuse. He later released an audio statement saying he fears he will be extradited to the USA because of the charges against him.
Quiboloy is an ally of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is now designated as administrator of his various properties. The preacher also formed the Sonshine Media News (SMNI) which had its license revoked after its blocktimers aired disinformation against members of the Marcos Jr administration.(davaotoday.com)
davao city, duterte
