Pastor Apollo Quiboly speaks during the miting de avance on May 7, 2016 in Luneta. Fernando G. Sepe Jr., ABS-CBN News

DAVAO CITY — Months after arrest warrants were issued by courts, Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder Pastor Apollo Quiboloy continues to hide from authorities who launched an intensified operation to locate the controversial preacher.

• Quiboloy underground bunker stumps cops; some KOJC members arrested

KOJC legal counsel Israelito Torreon on Thursday said that there is a threat to Quiboloy's life as he faces possible "extraordinary rendition," in which he could be sent to the US to face his charges there.

• FBI can't pursue Quiboloy without extradition: ex-UP Law dean

"May extraordinary rendition na dadalahin siya sa Amerika without proving his innocence here in the country, kaya nga nag-request si Pastor before na magpirma lang sana ng written declaration si Presidente Marcos na hindi siya dalahin sa Amerika," he said.

"Sana naintindahan niyo. Yun po. He is now in the center of what we say, probably, a political play. So he wants confirmation from no less than the president of the Republic of the Philippines," he added.

The US Justice Department charged Quiboloy in 2021 with sex-trafficking of girls and women aged 12 to 25 to work as personal assistants, or "pastorals", who were allegedly required to have sex with him.

In June, the Philippine justice department charged Quiboloy with sexual abuse.

Quiboloy and five other defendants have also been charged with qualified human trafficking and other acts of child abuse.

POLICE PRESENCE

KOJC said it spotted police presence in the Glory Mountain and Prayer Mountain in Barangay Tamayong, Davao City, which are among the properties of the religious group.

• More cops join Quiboloy search zeroing in on select KOJC compound areas

Torreon said the police were just in the vicinity and did not enter or search the place.

"Doon sila sa mga vicinity, nag-inspect-inspect. Hindi naman sila pumasok. Ewan ko kung ano ang ginagawa pero there is a show of force," Torreon said in a press conference.

"I don't think they would reason out that they are also looking for heartbeats there... Ngayon lang po ako nakakita na yung justification nila sa pagpanatili dahil sa heartbeat... Wala pa po yan sa ating Saligang Batas na yung heartbeat ang justification mo para magiging probable cause mo," he added.

The PNP has not issued a statement regarding its alleged presence in the 2 KOJC sites. 

However, Davao Region police chief BGen. Nicolas Torre III previously mentioned that officers could also conduct operations in Quiboloy's other properties.

'ILLEGAL'

Almost one week since the police launched their operations to find Quiboloy and the four co-accused at the KOJC compound and the Jose Maria College in Davao City, the KOJC maintained that the continued "random search" is illegal.

• 'Rat, pipes' in alleged bunker of Quiboloy: KOJC lawyer

Torreon said even if the authorities have a search warrant, they still need to identify a specific place.

He said that the alleged drilling of Jose Maria College's basement is a grievous violation of their proprietary rights as it was a separate entity from KOJC.

"We feel that this is really an excessive exercise of police power and something should be done here. A court order has already been issued yet the PNP has continued to stay here in the compound, which we feel is really violative in the rights of the compound," Torreon said.

Torreon also denied that there are secret rooms as well as sex lairs in their compound. The rooms seen in some videos were rooms of female lawyers and workers of the KOJC, he said.

He also denied that there is a tunnel connecting the KOJC compound to a hangar, as reported by a news agency.

The PNP said that it would not stop its operations to pursue Quiboloy, who they considered a fugitive.

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