2,000 cops sweep Davao compound in another large-scale manhunt for Quiboloy
CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – Hundreds of police officers launched another search for fugitive doomsday preacher Apollo Quiboloy in the 30-hectare property of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) in Davao City on Saturday morning, August 24.
Some 2,000 police personnel are involved in the ongoing operation, according to Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III, director of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the Davao region.
Police sealed off a section of a major road in Davao City as they gathered outside the KOJC compound, before entering the vast property at around 5 am.
The operation followed a police announcement that a regional court in Pasig issued an alias warrant of arrest against Quiboloy and several of his church associates in connection with their human trafficking case.
Police arrested one of the six fugitives, Paulene Canada, on July 11 and are still searching for Quiboloy and four others: siblings Ingrid and Cresente Canada, Jackielyn Roy, and Sylvia Cemanes.
The search for Quiboloy and his associates “may take some time,” Torre told reporters in an interview aired by Davao-based broadcaster DXDC-Radio Mindanao Network.
A video posted by Quiboloy’s group showed KOJC lawyer Israelito Torreon and Torre arguing shortly before the police entered the compound.
Torreon said the PNP had no search warrant and the alias warrant of arrest was only for Cemañes, one of the co-accused, with an address in Pasig.
Torre, however, stood his ground, asserting that the arrest warrant indicated that it can be served “elsewhere.”
He told Torreon he did not want to argue, and asked the lawyer to just file a complaint against the PNP.
“Attorney, this is not place for us to debate. If you have a complaint, just file it. In the meantime, we will get in whether you like it or not,” Torre said.
He also rejected Torreon’s assertion that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has already served the alias warrant of arrest and issued a certification earlier, saying it was “immaterial” to him.
Torre gave Torreon 30 minutes to discuss things with Quiboloy’s followers. Minutes later, police entered the KOJC property and began the search.
On August 5, Torre told the Senate committee on dangerous drugs and public order that capturing Quiboloy and four of his co-accused would be challenging due to the size of the property and its infrastructure, which includes underground spaces, tunnels, and passageways.
He told the committee it would require at least 1,500 officers to search the extensive property and its structures for at least a month due to the “hide-and-seek” situation.
The compound houses the still-unfinished “King Dome,” a five-hectare stadium designed to accommodate more than 70,000 people, as well as a hangar and a taxiway that leads directly to Davao’s Francisco Bangoy International Airport.
There are at least 42 structures in the property known to authorities, Torre said.
Near the stadium is Quiboloy’s school, the Jose Maria College (JMC), which is another large property. The police have blueprints of the building floor plans.
Police brought motion detectors used in search and retrieval operations as they began the search for the elusive Quiboloy, who is wanted on charges of sexual abuse of a minor, child abuse, and human trafficking. The detectors were “borrowed” by the police, according to PNP-Davao spokesperson Major Catherine dela Rey.
Dela Rey said they have reason to believe Quiboloy is inside the property based on their information.
She noted that the KOJC allowed the police entry and showed no resistance, unlike during a June 10 operation when Quiboloy’s followers used water cannons against the police.
Dela Rey said police were instructed to arrest anyone who resisted or harmed law enforcement officers, and to file charges of obstruction of justice and assaulting authorities.
“It appears like they are seeing the light,” Torre told reporters after KOJC opened its gates to allow the police in.
Torre said police have identified specific areas in the property where the fugitives could be hiding and were instructed to “scan” them.
Torre said they have two arrest warrants against Quiboloy.
“We will arrest Quiboloy,” he told GMA Regional TV in Davao City.
Torre urged Quiboloy to surrender and spare his followers from trouble.
“Mr. Quiboloy, you can spare your followers the heartache. Come out and surrender yourself,” Torre said.
Supporters of Quiboloy alleged that they were deceived by the police, who entered through the back of the compound while negotiations were ongoing at the front gate. – Rappler.com