Fugitive televangelist Apollo Quiboloy
MANILA, Philippines — A P10-million reward is being offered to anyone with information that may lead to the capture of televangelist Apollo Quiboloy, who has evaded authorities for over three months since the issuance of warrants for his arrest on human trafficking and child sexual abuse charges.
Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos announced on Monday that another P1-million reward each would be given to anyone with information on the whereabouts of Quiboloy’s subordinates in his Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) sect and fellow accused Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Ingrid Canada, Sylvia Cemañes and Jackielyn Roy.
READ: Hunt on for Quiboloy: ‘No special treatment’
“I would like to announce that we have friends who would like to help in arresting them,” the head of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said at a press conference.
But Abalos declined to name the donors, saying they had chosen to stay anonymous and were “frustrated about what’s happening” in Quiboloy’s cases.
The self-proclaimed “appointed son of God” has eluded arresting teams from the Philippine National Police since local courts ordered his arrest in April.
From Davao to QC
Quiboloy was facing sexual abuse and trafficking charges in the regional trial courts of Davao and Pasig cities, but in May, the Supreme Court granted the petition of the Department of Justice to change the venue for one set of cases from Davao to Quezon City.
The high court “found compelling reasons to justify the transfer of venue as the cases involve public interest, with the accused, a well-known religious leader, being influential in the area.”
Quiboloy has been charged with violations of Republic Act No. 7610, or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act. He and his subordinates are facing separate qualified trafficking charges, which are nonbailable.
At the press conference, PNP chief Gen. Rommel Marbil said the police were studying whether to file a complaint against former President Rodrigo Duterte for obstruction of justice.
On June 30, Duterte told reporters in Tacloban City that he was aware of the pastor’s location “but it’s a secret.”
The PNP chief noted that under Presidential Decree No. 1829, a person may be criminally liable for “harboring or concealing, or facilitating the escape of, any person he knows, or has reasonable ground to believe or suspect, has committed any offense under existing penal laws in order to prevent his arrest, prosecution, and conviction.”
Quiboloy is the spiritual adviser of the former president and a close friend of Duterte’s family.
Attempts to search for Quiboloy have been unsuccessful.
On June 10, more than 100 members of the Davao regional police, Special Action Force and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group stormed the KOJC compound in Davao City but left empty-handed.
Three people were hurt, and five people were arrested for “carrying bolos” during the raid. The KOJC slammed the authorities’ “unnecessary and unrestrained force,” while Duterte called it an “overkill.” —with a report from Inquirer Research