By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan | Philippine News Agency
Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy was transferred to the Pasig City Jail on Wednesday afternoon, a ranking police official said.
In a press briefing held at Camp Crame, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson PBGEN. Jean Fajardo said Quiboloy was set to be transferred to the Pasig jail from the Philippine Heart Center where he is confined after being granted a medical furlough.
“Pursuant to an order issued by RTC (Regional Trial Court) Pasig today, Nov. 27, by 4:00 p.m. we expect that we will be transferring the custody of Apollo Quiboloy to the Pasig City Jail pursuant to the court order issued,” said Fajardo.
Quiboloy has been staying at the PNP Custodial Center at Camp Crame since his arrest on Sept. 8 after a 16-day operation inside the KOJC compound in Davao City.
He was detained at Camp Crame pending the petitions filed by his lawyers for either hospital arrest or house arrest. During that time, the PNP was also tasked to conduct a medical assessment of Quiboloy.
But on Nov. 22, Fajardo said the Pasig City RTC issued an order for the transfer of Quiboloy to the Pasig City Jail.
“His detention at the PNP Custodial Center is just temporary and since we are already done with the medical assessment, there is no more reason for him to stay at Camp Crame,” said Fajardo.
“We welcome the order issued by the court and because it definitely entails financial and human resources whenever we escort him to the hospital or to the court. So definitely this will ease the burden on the part of the HSS (Headquarters Support Service) in providing security escort every time he needs to go out of Camp Crame,” she added.
Quiboloy is currently facing a non-bailable qualified human trafficking charge. He is also accused of child and sexual abuse, along with five of his aides.
He was arrested in September at his church’s compound in Davao City after more than two weeks of manhunt by the PNP.
Following the arrest, his lawyers immediately sought a hospital or house arrest due to his medical history, including two previous heart-related procedures.
The court denied the petition after the PNPGH declared that his condition is not life-threatening.
