MANILA (3rd UPDATE) — The Philippine National Police arrested 18 people on Monday afternoon in their dispersal of Kingdom of Jesus Christ members who had put up a barricade along the road in front of the KOJC compound in Davao City where police are searching for televangelist Apollo Quiboloy.

Just before 3 p.m., the PNP gave Quiboloy's followers 10 minutes to wrap up their protest and allow traffic through the blocked road. But this ultimatum went unheeded, prompting the police to issue three warnings for the group to disperse.

The dispersal soon grew violent as KOJC followers pushed and threw monobloc chairs at the police, who used truncheons on the people at the barricade.

RELATED: Respect for human rights must be priority in search for fugitive Quiboloy — advocate

Police helmets and truncheons proved scant protection against an unidentified foul-smelling liquid KOJC members — many of them men who had covered their faces with their shirts — threw at them from a barrel.

By 4 p.m., police had arrested 18 of the KOJC members. They will file complaints of obstruction of justice against those they apprehended.

Lawyer Israelito Torreon said the religious group will also file complaints against the police.

Before 6:00 p.m., Diversion Road became passable again to motorists.

Under the Public Assembly Act of 1985 — enacted during the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and often used against activists during the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte — protests are not allowed without a permit, except in designated freedom parks.

Meanwhile, PNP said they will also be filing charges against supporters of KOJC for hurting 6 cops while they were looking for Quiboloy in the KOJC compound.

According to PNP Spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo, the KOJC supporters will also be charged with human trafficking after two victims were rescued from the compound.

She added they have video evidence that the KOJC members harmed themselves to frame the police.

“May hawak na video po tayo ngayon na nagpapakita meron silang doon isang lugar mismong mga miyembro ang nagsusugat sa kapwa miyembro na para ipakita at isisi sa mga kapulis na galing ung injruiy nila. Pero on the contrary ang mga pulis natin ang minumura, tinatadyakan, sinasaktan at lahat ng klase ay natatanggap ng ating kapulisan,” Fajardo said.

Fajardo likewise defended the police’s use of tear gas, adding the group has been spreading false information.

“Marami pong lumalabas na misinformation, part sa isang network dyan ayoko na lang banggitin alam nyo po kung sino umeere ng mga misinformation. To set the record straight hindi po PNP ang nagsimula ng gulo,” she said.

PNP is also looking into reports of abuse of authority by some cops who were part of the operation.

Courts in Davao City and in Pasig in April issued warrants of arrest for Quiboloy and others facing trafficking and abuse cases. Quiboloy, whom the government considers a fugitive, has been in hiding since.

His lawyers claim the accusations against him are recycled and were made by disgruntled former members of KOJC.

Quiboloy is also on the wanted list of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) “for his alleged participation in a labor trafficking scheme that brought church members to the United States via fraudulently obtained visas.”

The pastor has also “forced the members to solicit donations for a bogus charity… to finance church operations and the lavish lifestyles of its leaders,” according to the FBI.

In November 2021, Quiboloy was indicted by a federal grand jury in the United States District Court for the Central District of California and a federal warrant has since been issued for his arrest. 

 — from a report by Johnson Manabat and Raya Capulong, ABS-CBN News

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