MANILA – Arrested or surrendered?
Fugitive pastor Apollo Quiboloy has been arrested inside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) Compound in Davao City on Sunday evening after almost two weeks of search, according to Secretary Benhur Abalos of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The camp Quiboloy, on the other hand, claimed he was not arrested but voluntarily surrendered himself to the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP).
According to Abalos, Quiboloy was caught by Philippine National Police (PNP) operatives at around 6 p.m.
“Nahuli na si Pastor Quiboloy!” Abalos announced on Facebook early last night.
As this was being written, details of the arrest or surrender were scant. Quiboloy was being flown early last night to Metro Manila, where authorities were expected bare more information about what exactly took place leading to the pastor’s apprehension.
For two week, hundreds of policemen scoured the KOJC Compound for Quibiloy, insisting that their surveillance equipment detected his presence in the vast property believed to have underground bunkers.
The 74-year-old televangelist is facing charges under Section 5(b) of Republic Act 7610, or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act, and under Section 10(a) before a Quezon City court.
The self-proclaimed “Appointed Son of God” is also facing a non-bailable qualified human trafficking charge under Section 4(a) of Republic Act 9208, as amended before a Pasig City court.
Quiboloy has also been indicted by a federal grand jury in the US District Court for the Central District of California for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; sex trafficking of children; and bulk cash smuggling.
Quiboloy has previously said that he wanted a written guarantee from the Philippine government that “there will be no American interference and no extraordinary rendition” if he surrenders to face charges in the Philippines.
However, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. said Quiboloy’s conditions to surrender were “immaterial” as the matter was no longer in the hands of the Executive Department./PN
