Antiriot policemen stand guard outside the KOJC compound in Buhangin District, Davao City where sect members hold a rally on Sunday night. —Joselle R. Badilla
MANILA, Philippines — Members of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) “intentionally blocked” the national highway near their compound along Buhangin District until the exit of Davao International Airport during a prayer vigil on Sunday night, according to police.
In a report, the Police Regional Office 11 (PRO 11) likewise refuted claims that it has locked down all entry points of Davao City to prevent KJC members from conducting their protest in front of their compound.
READ: Quiboloy still inside KJC compound – Davao PNP
“PRO 11, has never implemented any lockdown along the National Highway or planned to do so. Instead, it was the members of the KOJC who intentionally blocked the National Highway in front of the KOJC compound,” the statement reads.
According to Davao police spokesperson Major Catherine Dela Rey, KJC members occupied two lanes of the national highway.
“From airport exit hanggang sa entrance ng compound nila. Hanggang LPU (Lyceum of the Philippines University-Davao) hinarang nila so mga 200 to 300 meters in-occupy nila dalawang lane ng highway (From the airport exit up to the entrance of their compound. Also, until LPU Davao, they occupied about 200 to 300 meters of both lanes of the highway.),” Dela Rey told INQUIRER.net in a phone interview.
Based on the report, members of the religious sect were able to secure a rally permit from the City Government of Davao, but police said: “The venue where they conducted the rally is not in accordance with the permit they secured.”
“Despite this, the PNP employed maximum tolerance, just as the PNP has not reacted to all of SMNI’s attacks on the different police visibility activities it has conducted over the past weeks or months,” Davao police said.
“Nonetheless, we are calling for everyone’s attention not to easily give in and believe the accusations that are being thrown at the PNP,” it added.
The PRO 11 likewise called on the Sonshine Media Network International, the broadcast arm of the KJC to “practice the essence of true journalism, which is the pursuit of truth through accurate, unbiased, and ethical reporting.”