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An opposition lawmaker on Thursday hit the Philippine National Police on its continued failure to arrest self-proclaimed pastor Apollo Quiboloy and dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo.
During the budget hearing for the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the PNP’s supervising agency, Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel questioned PNP Chief Director General Rommel Marbil on the status of operations against both individuals.
Quiboloy has been wanted since April by courts in Davao City and Pasig City for criminal offenses for qualified trafficking, child abuse and sexual abuse.
READ: P10-M reward offered for info on Quiboloy
Quiboloy, who claims to be “the appointed son of God,” has also been on the most wanted list of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation since 2021 for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, sex trafficking of children and bulk cash smuggling.
Aside from the court warrants, he is also wanted on congressional warrants issued by both houses of Congress for his failure to appear before lawful investigations.
He is also likewise ordered arrested by the Senate for snubbing subpoenas against him to attend committee hearings on the same allegations. He is believed to be hiding inside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound in Davao City.
‘Continuous investigation’
Guo, who was recently suspended from her mayoral post, is also wanted by both houses of Congress which have issued orders to compel her to attend investigations into her citizenship and involvement in Philippine offshore gaming operators.
In response to Manuel, Marbil could only reply: “For now, we’re still doing continuous investigation and tracking … Surveillance is also ongoing especially in the case of Quiboloy.”
“When it comes to high profile individuals, the PNP is struggling,” Manuel said. “But it’s so easy for the police to arrest ordinary citizens and then even Red-tag them. They need to get it together.”
To this, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. retorted: “We’re not like that. As far as Quiboloy is concerned, we’re doing the best we can. In fact, they filed countercharges against us because of our raid against the KOJC.”
‘No policy of Red-tagging’
Both Marbil and Abalos claimed the PNP “has no policy of Red-tagging individuals” after Manuel raised a study by the Ateneo Human Rights Center published last month.
The study showed that many of those who continue to Red-tag are members of city and municipal stations, which Manuel reminded was “still part of the government.”
The Supreme Court earlier declared Red-tagging, or the linking individuals to the communist movement, as a real threat to people’s lives, liberties and security.
“I will still have to look into that, but we follow the rules of the President, who said we don’t want to Red-tag anymore,” Abalos asserted. “If that has happened, we have no idea and we will investigate such allegations.”