Detained pastor Apollo Quiboloy
MANILA, Philippines — The alleged “Angels of Death” of detained pastor Apollo Quiboloy were found to have a gun license, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).
PNP Civil Security Group (CSG) spokesperson Lt. Col. Eudisan Gultiano said this was learned by authorities after the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) submitted the list of alleged members of the Angels of Death for verification.
“We received the request [from DCPO] yesterday (Tuesday) and the verification is ongoing,” Gultiano said in a press briefing in Camp Crame on Wednesday.
READ: Quiboloy invoked God in abusing minors, based on testimonies – PNP
“Some individuals in the list are licensed, and the others do not have records in the FEO,” she also said of the PNP’s Firearms and Explosives Office.
Gultiano said they are awaiting the request for revocation of their gun licenses pending the results of the investigation.
On Tuesday, the Philippine Army said it will “closely coordinate” with law enforcement agencies to verify reports claiming that some of its reservists are part of the “Angels of Death”, according to its spokesperson Col. Rey Balido.
READ: PH Army probes report about Quiboloy using troops as ‘angels of death’
PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo first made the revelation regarding the “Angels of Death,” which, she said, was revealed by a new batch of victims who sought police’s help.
Furthermore, Quiboloy allegedly warned the victims—some as young as 12 to 13 years old—that an “Angel of Death” will get them if they break the code of secrecy regarding the religious leaders’ alleged sexual crimes, according to Fajardo.
Mark Tolentino, Quiboloy’s legal counsel, on Thursday vehemently denied the accusation regarding the “Angels of Death.”
“Pastor Quiboloy has no private army,” Tolentino said in a recent chance interview when asked to react to Fajardo’s revelations.
Israelito Torreon, Quiboloy sect’s Kingdom of Jesus Christ’s legal counsel, also denied this.
“Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy has millions of private prayer warriors, not a private army,” Torreon was quoted by Quiboloy-affiliated SMNI as saying.
“I pray that this is not a launching pad for future murder cases against Pastor ACQ,” he also said.