BLOCKED Police civil disturbance management troops stop Kingdom of Jesus Christ legal counsel Israelito Torreon from going into the basement of Jose Maria College on Tuesday. The police had declared the area off-limits since entering the premises on Aug. 24 in search of fugitive televangelist Apollo Quiboloy and four other KJC members. —Joselle R. Badilla
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — As the search for fugitive pastor Apollo Quiboloy entered its 12th day inside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) compound here, the religious sect’s lawyers released a video of what seemed to be a tunnel being dug at the basement of the Jose Maria College building.
Quiboloy’s lead lawyer, Israelito Torreon, said the video was sent to him by contacts involved in the digging, but he had no way of verifying it as the police had sealed off access to the area.
READ: PNP firm: Quiboloy still at KJC compound
But he was hopeful that Sen. Ronald dela Rosa’s arrival on Friday would help KJC members gain access to the site. Dela Rosa is conducting a Senate inquiry into the supposed “excessive” use of force in the implementation of an arrest warrant against Quiboloy, who is facing charges of sexual abuse, child abuse and human trafficking in Davao City and Pasig City courts.
Burden of proof
On Tuesday, when photographs of the supposed digging came out on social media, police officials refused to comment, saying it was up to Torreon to prove its existence since he was the one who released the pictures.
On Tuesday, Torreon took members of the media with him as he tried to gain access to the basement only to be barred by the police.
“Once the Senate conducts its investigation, we will have access to the areas where they are conducting the ongoing tunneling activity, which I feel could not be made legal by mere possession of warrant of arrest,” Torreon said in a live press briefing aired by Quiboloy-owned SMNI.
“I was the one who requested [Dela Rosa’s presence] because of the wanton violation of the rights to life and properties of my client,” he added.
Davao Region police chief Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III earlier said they would not stop searching for Quiboloy amid criticism over the police’s prolonged presence in the KJC compound.
Former Integrated Bar of the Philippines president Domingo Cayosa said that Section 11, Rule 113 of the Rule of Court authorized police to break into buildings or facilities if there were strong reasons to believe the subject of the warrant of arrest could be hiding there.
Torre said the police had encountered resistance from KJC members and lawyers throughout their operations, slowing down the search for the fugitive televangelist.
“Let’s not get sidetracked from the big issue that these things are happening because of our search for Apollo Quiboloy,” he added. “If he really loves his followers, he should [come out of] hiding and face his cases in court.”
Police Maj. Catherine dela Rey, Police Regional Office 11 spokesperson, meanwhile, welcomed the Senate investigation, saying they were ready to brief the senators on their operations.