By Darryl John Esguerra | Philippine News Agency
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday hailed the Philippine National Police (PNP) for the apprehension of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder Apollo Quiboloy, calling the successful operation as “police work at its best.”
In a media interview, Marcos said Quiboloy turned himself in to authorities Sunday night due to continued pressure by law enforcers during the police operation.
“I have to commend our PNP. This is police work at its best. This is what the PNP can do ‘pag led well at maganda ang ating pagkakaunawa at pagko-coordinate sa iba’t ibang ahensya. But this is what policemen do, they go after [criminals] and enforce court orders,” Marcos told reporters.
The President also explained the presence of soldiers in Quiboloy’s apprehension, saying that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has been tapped to serve as an augmentation force and was actually requested by Quiboloy’s camp.
No special treatment
Marcos said he was glad that the hunt for Quiboloy is over and the wheels of justice can now take its course.
He assured of transparent and lawful due process and that no special treatment would be given to the evangelist.
“We now leave Mr. Quiboloy to the judiciary, to the judicial system. Walang masasagasaan sa kanyang mga karapatan… But again, no special treatment. Although he is a very prominent person, we will treat him like any other arrested person,” Marcos said.
“We will respect his rights, and we will go through the process. The process will be transparent, everyone involved will be accountable. And we will demonstrate once again to the world that our judicial system in the Philippines is active, vibrant, and working,” he added.
Quiboloy and his four aides had been holed up for days at the 30-hectare KOJC compound in Davao City following intensified police search.
The police said negotiation for their surrender started around 1:30 p.m. when they were issued a 24-hour ultimatum to come out of one of the buildings inside the compound or they would storm the area.
At around 6:30 p.m., a military aircraft flew them out of Davao City and landed at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City at 8:30 p.m.
They arrived at Camp Crame in Quezon City around 9:10 p.m., after which the booking procedures started, including physical and medical examinations.
Quiboloy is facing arrest warrants for human trafficking and child abuse charges.
No extradition yet
The embattled pastor has also been indicted by a federal grand jury in the United States for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, and sex trafficking of children; conspiracy; and bulk cash smuggling.
Marcos said the US has yet to request Quiboloy’s extradition, although he noted that local judicial process has to be done first.
“For the moment, hindi extradition ang tinitignan natin; ang tinitignan natin ang mga complaint, mga kaso na ipinila dito sa Pilipinas, at yun muna ang kailangan nyang harapin,” he said.
AFP: PNP proper body to give details
The AFP, meanwhile, said it would defer to the PNP the details of the operation that led to Quiboloy’s capture.
“The AFP has been in full support of the PNP from the onset of the operation related to the case of Mr. Apollo Quiboloy. Our role in this matter has been purely in support of the PNP’s efforts in serving the warrant. The AFP remains committed to assisting our law enforcement agencies in maintaining peace and order whenever necessary,” AFP Spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said in a message to reporters Sunday night.
This came after Quiboloy’s legal counsel Ferdinand Topacio claimed that Quiboloy was not arrested by the PNP but “voluntarily surrendered” to the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces. (with report from Priam Nepomuceno)
