MANILA – Members of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) are exhausted and traumatized as the police search for their leader Apollo Quiboloy at their compound entered the fifth day, a minister of the religious group said Wednesday.       

"Magfa-five days na po ganito po ang situation namin. Di po biro ang stress. June 10, na-trauma na kami,” KOJC minister Carlo Catiil said, referring to an earlier unsuccessful attempt to arrest Qiuboloy. 

“Maraming bata ang umiiyak, sumisigaw, nanginginig makakita ng pulis. Intindihin niyo yung bata. Kami maka-recover kahit nasa gitna. Paano kami makatulog," he said.  

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Catiil faced reporters after some of them were allegedly harassed by members of the KOJC during news coverage of the search for Quiboloy at the group’s 30-hectare compound. 

Some KOJC members allegedly shouted at the media and threw a water bottle at a government-owned TV station crew cab.

Catiil apologized to the media and said he would try to calm down KOJC members.   

Pagbungkal sa umano'y 'bunker' ni Quiboloy, sinimulan na

The Philippine National Police has admitted to using a device that can detect a person’s heartbeat. Authorities said there is a bunker or an underground facility inside the KOJC compound which could be the hiding spot of Quiboloy and his co-accused.

Catiil said the search has disrupted the lives of KOJC members. 

"Ano pong magagawa namin pag sinabing, dito kami. Cathedral po namin yan, nag-heartbeat sila. Once ma-detect sa heartbeat, kordon yan lahat. Walang makapasok. Hindi namin alam anong ginagawa sa loob… Sabihan ka lang, 'Bukas na naman kasi kailangan naming i-make sure kasi yung heartbeat tumakbo na naman doon.' Wala pong endgame ito," he said.

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Davao Region police chief BGen. Nicolas Torre III said the officers are prevented from searching some areas inside the compound.

"Just go to their channel and you will see the kind of restrictions that we are facing. Nakita niyo naman how they treat us eh. Kung tutuusin niyan lahat ng yan arrestable lahat yan. Because kahit day 1, you should never interfere [with] the serviceable warrant," Torre said.

A Davao court on Tuesday ordered the PNP to remove its barriers or blockades around the KOJC property, saying these hinder the exercise of members' religious, academic, and property rights. 

Another court order directed the PNP to "immediately cease and desist from any act or omission that threatens the life, liberty, security, or property of the petitioners." 

The PNP said it would seek clarification on the order and would continue its search for Quiboloy inside the church compound. 

Catiil said KOJC members were initially overjoyed with the court order, but were immediately dismayed upon learning that the police operations would continue. 

"Masaya kami kasi lumabas na ang court order. Nanalangin, pasalamat, parang dry run lang siguro yon. Pero nagpapasalamat din kami kasi may movement din. Parang strategy din nila kasi tiniming nila Friday walang pasok, Sabado long weekend, Lunes walang korte yan lahat. Magawa ang gusto nilang magawa. Kami parang nasasakal talaga," he said.

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Catiil, who has been a loyal member of the KOJC for 34 years, said he does not believe allegations that Quiboloy sexually abused some church members. 

"Six years old ako dito sa Kingdom, ngayon 40 years old na ako… Kung may pangmomolestiya, pang-aabuso dito, ako mismo aalis na ako. Mulat na mulat ako kung anong pinaggagawa diyan, kung may kabulastugan, pang-aabuso. Tapos 40 years old na ako dito, bakit ganoon ang pananalig ko dito? Kasi wala akong nakitang masama," he said.

Asked whether he knew where Quiboloy was hiding, Catiil said, "Di ko rin talaga alam. Diyos ko po. Sabi pa nga ni Torre may informant sila… Bakit hindi sabihin yung particular na building? Yung saan talaga. Diretsahan na," he said.

DOJ SAYS RAID VALID    

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla maintained that the raid on the KOJC compound was “valid”. 

“It’s a valid police operation to serve an arrest warrant issued by the proper court,” Remulla said during a Senate hearing on the budget of the Department of Justice (DOJ). 

“I think that the rule of law will not be respected by people unless we are able to show that we will not let go of people even  how high their stature may be. And we intend to really carry this out to the end.” 

Remulla added that the temporary protection order issued by a Davao City Regional Trial Court was “moot and academic”. 

DOJ Undersecretary Nicholas Ty, meanwhile, said there was no need for a search warrant. 

“Ang warrant of arrest ay hindi lang pahintulot upang dakipin ang taong nakalagay sa warrant. Pahintulot din yun upang gawin ang lahat ng kailangan gawin para madakip ang tao at kasama dun ang pagpasok sa lugar kung saan nagtatago ang taong ito,” Ty said in an interview. 

“Paglilinlang yung argumento na iyon, no, na kailangan ng search warrant dahil paano mo naman ipapatupad ang isang warrant of arrest kung di ka pwede pumasok sa lugar kung saan alam niyo o hinahinala niyo na nandun yung akusado. At bukod doon, maliwanag sa ating Rules of Court na maaaring ngang wasakin, wasakin ng isang alagad ng batas ang pader o ang bakod na nagiging hadlang sa pagpatupad ng warrant of arrest,” he added. 

Ty confirmed that two alleged trafficking victims were found in the KOJC compound. 

Based on police information, Ty said relatives of the alleged victims have not been able to contact them for a while or if they were able to talk to them, it was always in the presence of the KOJC leaders. 

According to Remulla, four co-respondents of KOJC Pastor Apollo Quiboloy have been arrested, but three posted bail.

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SEEKING CLARIFICATION

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said the Office of the Solicitor General would file on Wednesday a motion for clarification on the court’s order for the PNP to cease its operations inside the KOJC compound and to remove the barriers in its entry points.

“We're filing cases to clarify number one, ano ba yung temporary protection order nila… Yung pag-a-arresto, tuloy-tuloy kami. But with reference to the barricades, to the barriers kasi sa totoo lang, ito nga yung nakakatulong to protect life eh. Hindi ba? Kung papabayaan mong lahat at magkagulo…ika-clarify lang namin ito,” Abalos said.

He appealed to Quiboloy’s followers for calm.

“Alam ko yung kayo po ay you're very religious… We respect each other's belief. Maging mahinahon lang po ang lahat. Ito lang po ang aking pakiusap,” he said.

“Alam kong may kanya-kanya po tayong paniniwala. But, you know, let's give this respect to one another. Ito lang po ang sa akin. Sana mas umiral na maging mahinahon po ang lahat.”

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