Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo and wanted Pastor Apollo Quiboloy. ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — A lawmaker on Thursday called out the Philippine National Police (PNP) for its failure to locate 2 high-profile fugitives months since separate arrest orders were issued against them.

The lawmaker was referring to Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Pastor Apollo Quibolo and dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.

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During the House Committee on Appropriations’ deliberations on the proposed 2025 budget of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and attached agencies, Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel pointed out the contrast between PNP’s implementation of arrest warrants against regular and high-profile subjects.

“Kapag big personalities talaga, parang ang hirap arestuhin ng PNP. Pero kapag ordinaryong tao, ang dali lang hulihin at maging biktima pa ng red-tagging na nagpapatuloy hanggang ngayon. Kailangan talagang mag-ayos,” Manuel said.

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It has been nearly five months since the Senate issued the arrest order against Quiboloy over contempt for snubbing subpoenas to attend joint committee hearings, and four months since the Pasig Regional Trial Court ordered his arrest for qualified human trafficking charges.

The Senate, meanwhile, issued an arrest order against dismissed Guo last month after she was cited in contempt for repeated failure to attend the committee hearings into illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations in her town.

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The DILG and PNP defended their efforts to implement the arrest orders against Quiboloy and Guo.

“Hindi kami ganoon. As far as Quiboloy is concerned and the others, ginagawa namin. In fact, dinemanda kami on record. Nakademanda po ako ngayon, ang PNP, dahil sa pag-raid namin sa Kingdom of Jesus. We are going to answer these accusations against us. Hindi po kami ganoon. Maski sino po hahanapin namin,” Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos told the House panel.

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PNP chief Gen. Rommel Marbil, meanwhile, gave assurances that investigation and surveillance operations continue, in coordination with other government agencies and intelligence units, in order to implement the arrest orders against Quiboloy and Guo.

“Continuous ang investigation namin, continuous ang tracking natin, not only the Philippine National Police, but all the agencies involved, especially ‘yung Bureau of Immigration, and of course ‘yung intelligence unit natin from the National Security Agency,” Marbil said.

“With regard to Quiboloy, ganoon pa rin ang ginagawa namin. Tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang surveillance namin doon sa area, ‘yung location ng limang taong hindi pa nahuhuli, kasama ni fugitive Apollo Quiboloy,” he added.

A senator in July gave an ultimatum to law enforcers to arrest Guo and said their 2025 budgets could be affected.

NO RED TAGGING POLICY

The Marcos administration has no policy to red-tag certain groups or individuals, the DILG and PNP asserted.

They issued the assurance after Manuel raised a study conducted by the Ateneo Human Rights Center, which he said shows that red-tagging continues as of July 2024, and many of those who do it online are allegedly members of city and municipal police stations.

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Abalos and Marbil said they have yet to receive such reports, but vowed to look into it.

“I have to look doon sa sinasabi ninyo. But we just follow ‘yung rules ng Presidente natin. We don’t want to red-tag anymore. Kung nangyari po ‘yan, we have no idea. And we will investigate kung nangyari ‘yan, but right now we don’t have any report na ginagawa namin ‘yan,” Marbil said.

But Manuel argued, “It’s the word of the PNP under the current administration against the word of the Ateneo Human Rights Center.”

“With due respect, it is never the policy of the PNP to red tag,” Abalos asserted. “ Kung mayroong ganyang study ang Ateneo, we will look into it and investigate.”

DEFUND NTF-ELCAC

Manuel, meanwhile, urged his colleagues to defund the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), citing the slow utilization of its budget over the past years.

“I strongly would insist na i-defund na natin itong NTF-ELCAC, including its barangay development program for 2025. I-realign na ‘yan directly sa national agencies working on education, health, and other social services,” he added.

The Supreme Court has declared red-tagging or linking individuals to the communist movement as a threat to people’s life, liberty and security, prompting progressive groups, including a UN expert, to call for the abolition of the NTF-ELCAC. The task force was accused of red-tagging government critics.

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But President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had said that he saw no need for its abolition.

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