Commission on Human Rights INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) assured the public of its daily monitoring of the situation and investigation of possible human rights violations committed inside and outside of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) compound in Davao City.
CHR issued its statement on Monday days after around 2,000 members of the the Philippine National Police (PNP) raided the KJC compound in Buhangin District to serve arrest warrants against fugitive televangelist Apollo Quibiloy and others. Quiboloy is wanted for child abuse, sexual abuse, and qualified trafficking cases.
READ: PNP firm: Quiboloy still at KJC compound
“Special investigators and lawyers from CHR regional office 11 have also visited the detained KOJC members at the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) who were arrested during the August 24 and 26 dispersals. The CHR team was able to interview the alleged victims of police harassment,” it said.
“The Commission is also assessing whether there have been any violations of the KOJC members’ right to exercise their religious freedom after the PNP prohibited the use of the cathedral and cordoned off the area, which is a primary focus in their search for Quiboloy,” it added.
CHR likewise highlighted the importance of the right to worship as “a fundamental human right enshrined in both domestic and International Humanitarian Law (IHL),” even in times of conf
“While the current situation does not constitute an armed conflict, the principles of IHL offer a valuable analogy: any actions that unduly infringe upon the religious practices of the KOJC members must be scrutinized carefully to ensure they are justified, proportionate, and necessary under the circumstances,” the commission explained.
In line with this, the CHR called on the police force to keep this in mind while conducting their operations and that they would only involve the implementation of arrest warrants, not search warrants.
“The Commission also emphasizes that the freedom of movement for the residents must be upheld and should not be subjected to any restrictions unless necessary to protect public order or national security (Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; Article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights),” it said.
“As stated in Article III, Section 2 of the 1987 Constitution, the people are protected against unreasonable searches and seizures, with warrants requiring specific descriptions of the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized,” it added.
Earlier, the CHR reminded KJC members of the importance of respecting the state forces by allowing them to do their duty and to refrain from actions “that may escalate tensions or obstruct the legal process.
“With the police search entering its second week, we reiterate our call for all the accused to undergo due process and allow our judicial system to function. We urge Quiboloy to honor his statement that he “will face [the charges against him] anywhere, anytime in a court of law,” it said.
Aside from these, the commission also urged the public to avoid spreading false information about the ongoing operations of the national police that could “jeopardize the lawful execution of the arrest warrant, compromise the safety of all involved, and threaten the constitutional rights of the people.”
The raid was conducted last August 24. A day later, authorities announced that two alleged victims of human trafficking were rescued from the compound.
Davao police are continuously searching the KJC compound and are “more than confident” that Quiboloy is still inside.