FILE PHOTO: Is former President Rodrigo Duterte liable for obstruction of justice after claiming he knows – but won’t tell – the whereabouts of fugitive televangelist Apollo Quiboloy? The Philippine National Police (PNP) is trying to find that out for now. PHOTO FROM BONG GO’S FACEBOOK PAGE
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) will study if former President Rodrigo Duterte may or may not be held liable for obstruction of justice after claiming he knows – but won’t tell – the whereabouts of fugitive televangelist Apollo Quiboloy.
PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said they are withholding their comment on the matter for now, pending their assessment of the context of Duterte’s remarks.
“I have to take it in context sa sinasabi niya kailangan ko makausap kung sino ang mga nakausap niya. Ito ba ay sinabi nya just to tease yung kaharap niya? Or joke lang po? Kailangan natin makuha yung konteksto ng kanilang pag uusap because obviously na ang isang tao na alam ang kinaroroonan ng isang wanted person may be held liable of obstruction of justice,” the police official pointed out.
(I have to look into the context of what he said. I need to talk to those he spoke to. Did he say this to tease the person in front of him? Or just a joke? We need to get the context of their conversation because a person who knows the whereabouts of a wanted person may be held liable for obstruction of justice.)
READ: Quiboloy now a wanted fugitive in the Philippines – police
“But then again we want to reserve muna ang ating comment dahil pag-aaralan muna po ng mga abugado ng PNP if those statement may constitute obstruction of justice or just a simple words taken out of context. Nagiingat tayo sa pagbibigay ng judgement until makapag imbestiga,” she added.
(But then again, we want to reserve our comment because the PNP lawyers will first study if those statements may constitute obstruction of justice or just simple words taken out of context. We are cautious in giving judgment until we can investigate.)
Duterte previously advised his close friend and spiritual adviser Quiboloy to come out and answer the allegations against him before the court.
However, based on media reports over the weekend, Duterte told reporters in an ambush interview in Tacloban City: “Ayaw siguro ni Pastor mag-surrender, eh magtago ka na lang. Pero kung tanungin mo saan si Pastor, alam ko. Alam ko kung san si Pastor, pero secret.”
(Maybe Pastor doesn’t want to surrender, so just hide. But if you ask where the Pastor is, I know. I know where the Pastor is, but it’s a secret.)
On June 10, PNP operatives stormed the compounds of the Quiboloy-founded Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) in Davao del Sur to serve warrants of arrest against the sect leader and his subordinates. But authorities failed to find Quiboliy and his men.
READ: 100 cops storm Quiboloy’s home to arrest him but he’s not found
Duterte branded as “excessive and unnecessary” the force applied by the PNP in trying to arrest Quiboloy and his cohorts.
“I strongly condemn the use of excessive and unnecessary force in serving the warrant of arrest for Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy of the [KJC] by police officers who are not even from Davao City,” the former president who is now Quiboloy assets chief said in a previous statement.
The PNP’s move stemmed from the April 3 issuance of arrest orders against Quiboloy, Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Ingrid Canada, Sylvia Camanes, and Jackiely Roy by a Davao Regional Trial Court.
The KJC leader and his subordinates are facing charges for violation of 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 an arrest warrant against the self-proclaimed “appointed son of God” for qualified human trafficking, a non-bailable offense.
Apart from these cases, the Senate panel on women also issued an arrest order for Quiboloy.