Police official wishes Quiboloy happy birthday, asks him to yield

Apollo Quiboloy INQUIRER MINDANAO FILE PHOTO

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Brig. Gen. Alden Delvo, director of the Police Regional Office in Davao Region (PRO-11), has reiterated his warning against anyone who could possibly be coddling fugitive pastor Apollo Quiboloy, saying they would be held liable for obstruction of justice.

At the same time, he urged the beleaguered head of the religious sect Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) to turn himself in before April 25—his and Quiboloy’s birthday.

READ: Davao RTC issues arrest warrant for Quiboloy for sexual abuse

Delvo, who is about to retire this month, admitted that since he and the KOJC leader share the same birthday, there were times in the past he spent his birthday at KOJC instead of at home.

But he assured the public that as a police officer, he would exert all efforts to find Quiboloy and turn him over to the court. “I wish the Pastor advanced happy birthday, happy birthday to us,” Delvo said.

“I warn those who could be coddling the pastor, whether they be friends or worse, members of the police or the military, we will file a case of obstruction for justice once we find out about it,” he told reporters here.

Clueless

But seven days after receiving the arrest order for Quiboloy, the police remain clueless about his whereabouts. The sect leader was ordered arrested by the Davao City regional trial court last week for violating Republic Act No. 7610 or the Anti-Child Abuse Law, specifically the provision on sexual abuse of minor and maltreatment.

This developed as personnel from the Office of the Senate Sergeant at Arms, who arrived here on Monday, also went to the property of Quiboloy in Barangay Tamayong to serve the Senate’s order for contempt.

They were accompanied by personnel from the regional and city police, the National Bureau of Investigation and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group. The order was prompted by Quiboloy’s snubbing of an ongoing Senate hearing into his followers’ accusations of abuse against him.

Actionable intel needed

“Our tracking teams are really doing their best,” Delvo said. “I even called members of the intelligence community, everyone, from the R2, REU, ISAFP (Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines), MIG (Military Intelligence Group) of the AFP to really exert efforts in locating Quiboloy because as regional director, I’m waiting for their actionable intelligence so that I could give directives to my people,” he added.

According to Delvo, he believes the KOJC leader is still in Davao because the city remains a safe haven for him. He said he has been in constant communication with Quiboloy’s lawyers, telling them that it would be easier for their client to surrender.

“It’s [been] a week (since the start of the manhunt), we’re exerting efforts, we’re still looking for him, there are a lot of problems, but the long arm of the law will definitely catch up with him and other fugitives in the Philippines and around the world,” Delvo said.