MANILA, Philippines — The Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) has recommended the revocation of the license to own and possess firearms (LTOPF) of fugitive televangelist Apollo Quiboloy.
PNP FEO Public Information Office (PIO) chief Major Lady Lou Gondales told INQUIRER.net that the FEO endorsed the revocation of the LTOPF of Quiboloy and “Miss Canada.”
Quiboloy has existing arrest warrants on charges of child abuse, sexual assault, trafficking, exploitation and discrimination.
“Based on the recommendation of our Firearms License Restoration and Revocation Board (FLRRB), they recommended the cancellation or revocation of Quiboloy and Ms. Canada’s LTOPF,” the FEO official said in a phone interview on Tuesday.
“This is in the premise of their violation of section 26.1 of [Implementing Rules and Regulations of the] Republic Act 10591 (the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act),” she noted.
Quiboloy has three co-accused that have the surname Canada — Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada and Ingrid Canada.
When asked who among them were included in the recommendation, Gondales replied: “It was not specified” in the resolution.
She opted not to reveal the names of the others and clarified that not all of Quiboloy’s co-accused are included in the FLRRB’s recommendation since some of them are not firearms owners.
The resolution has been forwarded to the office of PNP Chief General Rommel Marbil for approval.
Once approved, the FEO will be authorized to confiscate Quiboloy’s firearms, Gondales said.
FEO’s recommendation was released a day after Senator Risa Hontiveros called on Marbil to “lead better,” saying that the police may now confiscate Quiboloy’s guns based on his pending cases.
“Quiboloy is a high profile fugitive who must be apprehended. Baka kaya ang lakas ng loob magtago ni Quiboloy, dahil sa mga armas at baril na pumuprotekta sa kanya,” Hontiveros said in a statement.
(Maybe the reason why Quiboloy is over confident in hiding is because he has weapons and guns that protect him.)
“Trabahuhin na ng PNP ang pagkansela ng mga armas niya. Bilis-bilisan na,” she told PNP.
(The PNP should work on canceling his weapons’ licenses. Hurry up.)
Last April 3, a Davao Regional Trial Court issued arrest orders against Quiboloy and his subordinates namely Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Sylvia Camanes, Jackiely Roy and Ingrid Canada.
They were charged with violating Republic Act 7610 or the Anti-Child Abuse Law, specifically the provision on sexual abuse of minors and maltreatment.
On April 11, a Pasig City court also issued a warrant for the arrest for the self-proclaimed “appointed son of God” for qualified human trafficking, a non-bailable offense.