Quiboloy’s co-accused arrested in Davao

MANILA, Philippines (Updated) — One of the co-accused of embattled religious leader pastor Apollo Quiboloy in the qualified human trafficking and child abuse cases was arrested in Davao City on Thursday.

Paulene Canada was arrested in her home in Buhangin district past 1 p.m. on Thursday, July 11, the pastor’s lawyer confirmed.

READ: P10-M reward offered for info on Quiboloy 

Lawyer Israelito Torreon, Quiboloy’s legal counsel, said the arrest was captured on video but when he called Police Brig. General Nicolas Torre, police regional director, twice at 2:50 p.m. and 3:02 p.m. respectively, no one replied.

Torreon said he logged into Camp Catitipan’s visitor’s slip at 3:05 p.m. but when he asked about the arrest, he was told that there was no such arrest and that the information of Canada’s arrest was “fake news.”

“We sent a demand letter at 7:32 p.m. and still there was no reply,” Torreon told Inquirer by phone. “It was only after we conducted a press conference and informed them that their act was a violation of Republic Act 7438 also known as an Act defining certain rights of persons arrested, that a news item came out saying that Ma’am Paulene is at the Buhangin police station,” Torreon added.

On Monday, Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. announced that a P10 million reward would be given to anyone who offers information that leads to Quiboloy’s arrest.

A reward of P1 million each will also be given to those who will provide information on his other five co-accused who are also associated with Quiboloy’s religious sect, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

READ: Quiboloy sanctioned by US Treasury Dep’t over corruption, human rights abuse

Aside from Canada, the co-accused are Cresente Canada, Ingrid Canada, Sylvia Cemañes, and Jackielyn Roy.

Earlier, the five co-accused already posted bail for the child abuse cases filed against them and Quiboloy in the Davao City court. But the pastor, who is also wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), continues to elude arrest.

Canada’s arrest came amid a whirl of reshuffling and reassignments currently happening at the top positions within the Davao City Police Office.