Bato vows fair Senate probe on PNP raid vs. Quiboloy

Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa assured the public Thursday that he will conduct a fair Senate investigation into the Philippine National Police's (PNP) alleged use of excessive force in serving the warrant of arrest against Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy inside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ's premises.

"Considering na (that) I am a former chief of the Philippine National Police, at the same time, I'm a Davaoeño, 'yung mga tinamaan do'n sa raid mga kababayan ko mga taga-Davao (those who were affected by the raid were my fellow citizens of Davao), so you expect fairness kasi puro mahal ko 'yung dalawang party (because I love both parties)," Dela Rosa said at the Kapihan sa Senado forum.

"Mahal ko ang PNP, mahal ko ang KOJC na mga Davaoeño. Nasa gitna ako. Hindi kayo makahanap ng unfairness or bias sa aking gagawin investigation," added Dela Rosa, chairperson of the Senate public order and dangerous drugs committee.

(I love the PNP and my fellow Davaoeños in KOJC. I'm in the middle of this. You cannot find unfairness or bias in the investigation.)

Earlier, Senator Robin Padilla, a staunch supporter of Quiboloy, filed a resolution asking the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs to launch an investigation into PNP's alleged use of "unnecessary and excessive force" while serving arrest warrants against the KOJC leader.

The PNP previously described the serving of warrants against Quiboloy as a "lawful operation” that was conducted "without any harm to anyone.”

Quiboloy is facing charges of child prostitution, sexual abuse, and other acts of  neglect, abuse, cruelty or exploitation and other conditions prejudicial to the child's development.

The KOJC, for its part, claimed the serving of the warrant of arrest against the fugitive religious leader as unjust. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News