Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) honorary chairperson Apollo Quiboloy expresses his gratitude during the Memorandum of Partnership Agreement between the Philippine Army and SMNI at ACQ Tower in Makati City on October 24, 2022. Philippine Army handout photo

MANILA — The police Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit is building up cases against people who may have helped Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader Apollo Quiboloy — the subject of a police search operation involving hundred of personnel — evade authorities, the national police chief said Sunday.

Police Gen. Rommel Marbil, Philippine National Police chief, said Quiboloy, who had been ordered arrested by courts since April, could not have evaded law enforcement without help.

READ: Who is Apollo Quiboloy?

"Obstruction of justice is a serious offense, and those who aided in shielding Quiboloy from law enforcement will be charged accordingly. The law is clear—no one is above it, and those who helped Quiboloy will be held accountable," he said.

Quiboloy's lawyers have played down the abuse and trafficking cases against him as politically motivated and based on revived allegations by disgruntled former members of KOJC.

They have also said that Quiboloy did not want to surrender without guarantees that he would not be sent to the US to face similar cases there.

Quiboloy lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said in July that he could not blame the KOJC leader for refusing to submit to the courts if he "feels he cannot get fair and impartial justice under our present system of government."

RELATED: Treaty means government cannot guarantee Quiboloy will not be extradited if requested — DOJ

“We will not tolerate any form of obstruction to justice. Our investigation aims to identify those who knowingly provided refuge to Quiboloy, and we will ensure they face appropriate legal consequences," Marbil also said.

Quiboloy was arrested last week — his lawyers insists he surrendered — on Sept.8, weeks since at least 2,000 police personnel began searching the KOJC compound in Davao City in search of bunkers and tunnels that the fugitive preacher might be hiding in.

The PNP operation, where one KOJC member died of a heart attack in the first day of the search, has fissured the already shaky alliance of the Marcos and Duterte factions of the ruling coalition.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte, named administrator of KOJC properties earlier this year, raised concerns of rights violations in the government's "demonization" of Quiboloy, which he said was meant to distract from social problems like corruption and poverty.

Vice President Sara Duterte has promised to stand with Quiboloy's group and has apologized for seeking their support for Marcos in the 2022 elections.

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