Davao Region police chief: ‘We’re not leaving until we catch Quiboloy’

GENERAL SANTOS, Philippines – “Magpapaguran muna kami dito. Parang laro ng mga bata – taguan, habulan. Hindi kami aalis. Walang magpu-pullout nang wala siya.”

(We’ll tire ourselves out here first. It’s like a children’s game – hide and seek, tag. We’re not leaving. No one’s pulling out until we have him.)

Davao Region police chief Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III said this hours after some 2,000 cops began another massive search for fugitive preacher Apollo Quiboloy and four of his associates in the vast Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) property in Davao City on Saturday, August 24.

“Nandiyan lang ‘yan (Quiboloy is just inside),” he told reporters in a video posted by the Davao-based Mindanao Today.

Torre said the police were not yet done with the search and had covered only less than 30% of the 30,000-hectare property as of late Saturday morning. Police entered the KOJC compound and began the search around 5 am.

“Sa ganitong sistema, hindi ito makukuha ngayon. Hindi kami aalis dito habang hindi namin siya nakukuha. Hindi lang whole day, whole night,” he told reporters.

(The way things are, he won’t be caught today. We will not leave until we catch him. It will take not only the whole day but the whole night to find him.)

Torre also said there were indications that Quiboloy was hiding somewhere in the vast KOJC property.

He cited an alleged attempt early on to spirit out the fugitive preacher from the property. He said a red pickup truck breached a police checkpoint and barged into the compound.

He said they have reason to believe that the vehicle, which had Quiboloy’s driver in it, was sent to fetch the preacher.

“Sila nagsabi na driver ng pastor (They were the ones who said it was Quiboloy’s driver),” Torre said.

He noted that the behavior of many of Quiboloy’s followers was also suspicious, adding that they kept distracting the police inside with loud sound systems and provoking them into arguments.

“We are not in the position to debate whether or not Quiboloy is innocent. Our job is to implement the warrant,” Torre said.

He said the police would continue the search until Quiboloy realizes it would be better for him to turn himself in.

Quiboloy’s lawyer, Israelito Torreon, meanwhile, said they have continued to assert the rights of the religious group, maintaining that the police violated procedures. (READ: Apollo Quiboloy and the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, from abuse to multi-million properties)

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), he said, had already searched the property early this month and even issued a certification that the alias arrest warrant had already been served.

Torreon said the KOJC tried to dissuade Torre from conducting another search, but the police general was determined.

“Para walang away, hinayaan na namin siya (To avoid trouble, we allowed him to proceed),” he told GMA Network.

When asked about the possibility of Quiboloy yielding to authorities, Torreon said he did not know “what is in Pastor Quiboloy’s mind, as I have not talked to him.”

Meanwhile, Torre denied that the police used tear gas when they entered the back of the compound, saying it was most likely the handiwork of Quiboloy’s followers.

He also denied that the cops hurt anyone, accusing KOJC members of stage-managing incidents where people passed out during the police operation.

“May nagsesenyas, tapos bigla may babagsak. Kitang-kita ko mismo. Huwag na tayong maglokohan,” he said.

(Someone was signaling, and then suddenly, someone faints. I saw it with my own eyes. Let’s not fool each other.)

Davao Region police spokesperson Major Catherine dela Rey confirmed that a KOJC member suffered cardiac arrest when police entered the back of the compound. She said an initial investigation showed that the person was already ill and had been keeping watch at the back for days without sleep. – Rappler.com