Padilla on attempt to arrest Quiboloy: Let’s not be violent, hot-headed

 Sen. Robinhood Padilla presides over the Committee on Cultural Communities and Muslim Affairs.  (FILE PHOTO/Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Robinhood Padilla said the operation meant to arrest Apollo Quiboloy on June 10 could just have been addressed through diplomacy and without spite.

Padilla’s remarks came a day after the latest attempt to arrest Quiboloy failed. Authorities said about a hundred policemen simultaneously stormed three properties of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC)  in Davao City, but the religious leader was nowhere to be found.

READ: 100 cops storm Quiboloy’s home to arrest him but he’s not found

Padilla, who said the arrest attempt was saddening, noted that the operation was conducted in a place of worship, adding that it was a bit of an eyesore.

“’Di ko alam bakit ang iinit ng ulo ng Pilipino ngayon. Relax lang tayo. Kasi alam niyo, may bagay na nakukuha sa usapan, kailangan nating daanin sa usapan, ‘wag tayo masyadong marahas, ‘wag tayo masyadong mainit ang ulo,” Padilla said when he was asked if the arrest attempt was an overkill since about 100 police stormed KJC’s complex in Davao.

(I don’t know why Filipinos are so hot-headed right now. Let’s just relax. We can settle things through communication. We need to handle this through discussion, let’s not be too violent, let’s not be too hot-headed.)

In the same ambush interview, Padilla said Quiboloy as a pastor is separate from the God that KJC worships.

“Hihiwalay natin ang religion ng tao sa, si Pastor Apollo Quiboloy ay pastor, ‘di siya ang sinasamba ng mga tao, ng kingdom. Siya ang pastor, pero may sinasamba na Diyos ang KJC.  At ‘yan ang dapat natin nirerespeto at ‘yan ay nasa Constitution,” he said.

(Let’s separate religion. Pastor Apollo Quiboloy is a pastor, he is not being worshipped by the people, by the kingdom. He is a pastor, but KJC worships their God. We need to respect that because it’s in the Constitution.)

“Kung may pruweba na nandoon si Pastor, siguro pwede nating sabihin bilang criminologist may warrant, pwede nila gawin ‘yan. Pero nandoon ba si Pastor? ‘Yan ang tanong. Wala si Pastor, walang nangyaring paghuli. Natakot ang mga tao sa simbahan. ‘Yan ang mga bagay na dapat naiiwasan,” he added.

(If there is proof that the pastor is there, maybe we can say, being a criminologist that there is a warrant, maybe they can do that. But is the pastor there? That’s the question. He is not there, an arrest was not made. People only got frightened in church. That’s what we should avoid.)

Breakdown of intel

In a separate statement also issued Tuesday, opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros said there may have been a breakdown of intelligence in yet another failed attempt to arrest Quiboloy.

“There may have been a breakdown in Philippine National Police’s (PNP)  intel gathering. I said so the moment the PNP failed to locate Quiboloy’s whereabouts after the issuance of several warrants of arrest several months ago,” said Hontiveros.

READ: PH envoy to US: No FBI extradition request yet for Quiboloy

With this, Hontiveros renewed her call for the country’s police force to ensure that no officers are being influenced by Quiboloy.  She then emphasized that Quiboloy’s allies — especially former President Rodrigo Duterte – should not influence the police.

“I am again calling on the PNP leadership to ensure that none of our officers are being influenced by Quiboloy or any of his allies, particularly former President Duterte. I trust that more of our men and women in uniform are also doing all they can to bring Quiboloy to justice,” she said.

Hontiveros’ message to Duterte was simple: Help locate Quiboloy. Meanwhile, for the sect leader, the senator’s appeal is for him to surrender himself and cooperate with law enforcers for once.

“Harapin mo na ang mga kaso at akusasyon. Wala ka nang pagtataguan,” she said.

(Face the cases and accusations against you. You have nowhere to hide.)

Quiboloy, who earlier admitted that he was hiding, is facing two separate arrest orders from Davao and Pasig courts. The Supreme Court, however, granted the Department of Justice’s bid to transfer Quiboloy’s sexual abuse case from a court in Davao to Quezon City to avoid a miscarriage of justice.

Apart from these, the Senate panel on women headed by Hontiveros is likewise seeking Quiboloy’s arrest.