Around 100 members of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ hold a protest at the Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila amid the service of arrest warrants against fugitive televangelist Apollo Quiboloy and others in Davao City. INQUIRER.net/ Faith Argosino
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) is going after fugitives, not the religious group Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) and its churchgoers, Police Brigadier General Roderick Alba said on Wednesday.
Alba, principal spokesperson of Special Task Force Teknon Alpha, issued the statement amid tensions between the camp of fugitive televangelist and KJC founder Apollo Quiboloy and the police in Davao City.
“We are not after the church or even the churchgoers. We are after the persons with standing warrants of arrest from the court,” Alba said in an interview with Radyo 630.
Alba also reminded the KJC that the police are just doing their job.
“Mandato po namin to ensure the safety and security of everybody. Di natin alam kung sino yung pumapasok and lumalabas dyan (KJC compound). We have to check and to ensure na wala pong makakatakas kung may ma-hook po tayong subject of the arrest warrant,” he said.
(It is our mandate to ensure the safety and security of everybody. We don’t know who enters and exits the KJC compound. We have to check and ensure that no one will escape if we catch the subject of the arrest warrant.)
READ: 2,000 cops surround KJC complex, arrest warrant vs. Quiboloy served anew
Around 2,000 cops of the Police Regional Office 11 raided the KJC compound in Buhangin District, Davao City on Aug. 24 as part of the operation to serve arrest warrants against Quiboloy and other KJC members. They are facing child abuse and human trafficking charges, and have been evading arrest.
The Davao police on Aug. 25 disputed claims that they implemented a lockdown in Davao City. The police said KJC members “intentionally blocked” the national highway near the compound.
On Tuesday, the Davao Regional Trial Court Branch 15 issued a Temporary Protection Order (TPO) to the KJC. It ordered the PNP to remove all forms of barricades and barriers surrounding the KJC compound.
READ: Quiboloy’s KJC wins relief: Cops told to stand down in court order
Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. pointed out that the TPO “did not specifically say that the police must stop the operation.”
Alba echoed Abalos’ statement, saying the police would continue doing their job despite resistance of Quiboloy’s supporters.
“Of course, we respect the legal procedures at karapatan ng bawat isa (and rights of everyone),” he said.
“Our PNP is continuously doing its operation doon sa pag-seserve ng arrest warrant and searching for the fugitives,” he added.
(The PNP is continuously doing its operation to serve the arrest warrant and search for the fugitives.)
Around 100 KJC members and former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque staged a protest at Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila on Monday. They called for justice for Quiboloy and for the resignation of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
READ: VP Duterte condemns latest KJC raid, asks forgiveness for Marcos vote plea