PACKING UP After two weeks at the Kingdom of Jesus Christ compound, police begin to move out on Sunday night following the government’s announcement that it has the sect’s leader Apollo Quiboloy already in its custody. — JOSELLE R. BADILLA
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday said televangelist Apollo Quiboloy requested the presence of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) during his arrest in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) compound on Sunday.
Marcos divulged this after reporters asked him why the AFP captured Quiboloy when it was a police operation.
READ: After long hunt, gov’t takes hold of Quiboloy
“Well, ganyan naman talaga. Madalas naman mangyari ‘yan na may augmentation sa AFP. But let’s be very clear, this was a police-led operation. It was a police operation. Kung ano man ang involvement ng AFP dyan, as I said augmentation,” he said.
(Well, that’s how it is. That often happens with AFP augmentation. But let’s be very clear, this was a police-led operation. It was a police operation. Whatever the involvement of the AFP there, as I said augmentation.)
However, Marcos also admitted that Quiboloy requested the presence of the AFP during his capture because he “did not trust” the police.
“[Ang] sabi sana may presence ng AFP dahil wala daw siyang tiwala sa police. So fine, yan ang ginawa namin,” the President said.
(He said there should be an AFP presence because he doesn’t trust the police. So fine, that’s what we did.)
Marcos also said “all intelligence services” were involved in the 16-day search mounted by the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the KJC compound in Davao City.
These services, he said, included the PNP, the AFP, and civilian intelligence services.
“Kaya naman may augmentation, kung maaalala ninyo noong una silang (PNP) pumasok after 24 hours, 36 hours, hapong hapo na ‘yung pulis so ang gawin namin para ma-relievo naman sila nang konti ay nagpadala kami ng sundalo na AFP. Nagpadala tayo ng AFP para mag-augment, makapagpahinga naman ‘yung mga police natin,” he explained.
(That’s why there is augmentation, if you remember when they (PNP) first came in after 24 hours, 36 hours, the police were already in the afternoon so what we did to relieve them a little bit was we sent an AFP soldier. We sent AFP to augment our policemen, so they can rest.)
“So that’s the standard procedure dito sa Pilipinas (here in the Philippines). Madalas naman talaga natin ginagawa yan (we always do that),” he added.
Timeline of Quiboloy’s arrest
Marcos said authorities received a message from Quiboloy’s camp that he was “ready to surrender” as early as 9 a.m. on Sunday. A C-130 aircraft then left Manila for Davao City at 3:40 p.m.
Quiboloy then boarded the C-130 plane and was transported to Manila as the first case he is set to face is in Pasig City.
“So that’s essentially the timeline of what happened yesterday, in the events after things that were not really moving kung hindi dahil sa’tin. ‘Yun na nga pinasok ng pulis ‘yung compound, naghuhukay nga tayo dahil ang intelligence natin sinasabi nandoon siya at patuloy ang operation,” Marcos said.
(So that’s essentially the timeline of what happened yesterday, in the events after things that were not really moving if not because of us. That’s when the police entered the compound, we were digging because our intelligence said he was there and the operation continued.)
“That’s I think what convinced Mr. Quiboloy na wala, useless na magtago siya, dapat lumabas na siya, and so I’m happy, glad that this is over,” he added.
(That’s I think what convinced Mr. Quiboloy that it’s useless for him to hide, that he should come out, and so I’m happy, glad that this is over.)
READ: Quiboloy surrender to government an ‘ultimate sacrifice’ – lawyer