Ex-Pres. Duterte: Gov't demonizing Quiboloy to distract public

Former President Rodrigo Duterte alleged that the Marcos administration was obsessed with demonizing Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader Apollo Quiboloy to divert the public's attention away from the nation's "deepening crises."

Duterte, who was recently designated as the KOJC property administrator, made the allegation through a statement read by KOJC Executive Secretary Eleanor Cardona during a Senate inquiry on the Philippine National Police's alleged use of excessive force in serving an arrest warrant against Quiboloy and co-accused last June 10.

According to Cardona, Duterte was invited to the hearing but could not come.

"It is unfortunate that the obsession of this administration to demonize Pastor Quiboloy even before he could be convicted by a court of law is a clear maneuver to divert attention from the deepening crises pawned by corruption, incompetence, and abuse of authority," Duterte said in a statement dated June 13.

Duterte said the June 10 operation "will go down as the day of infamy" because a "heavily armed battalion" from the PNP raided the KOJC properties without any search warrants and only with an "overpublicized" arrest warrant against Quiboloy.

"This is a clear violation of the law. It is an overkill in any language. This act cannot go unpunished," Duterte said.

"While I am saddened to do this given my personal and, in the past official, support for the police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, my duties as administrator of church properties demand that I take legal and appropriate action," he added.

Duterte said in the statement that he had ordered the preparation of affidavits of all members who were "aggrieved and traumatized" during the raid and also an inventory of church properties destroyed as a consequence.

"While the damage has been done, the opportunity is there to rectify the errors brought about by the trampling of basic rights in the conduct of the alleged raid by granting the reliefs and legal remedies provided by law," he said.

"It is with a heavy heart that I am constrained to take action against all those responsible for the coordinated but illegal raid. Notwithstanding my personal convictions, the law must be upheld. Let this be a warning and a lesson for all those who follow and implement illegal and unlawful orders that there are grave consequences for blind obedience," the former President added.

He likewise warned that the incident which was posted on social media sent the wrong signal that this country has become a police state with no respect for law and religious institutions.

Cardona, for her part, questioned the operations against Quiboloy.

"Is it because he is also the spiritual adviser of so many, especially the former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte? Pastor Apollo Quiboloy is not yet convicted in any court here in the Philippines. Allegations 'yun lahat," she said.

Cardona claimed anew that there were efforts from the United States to "rendition" Quiboloy instead of extraditing him.

"Sinabi na 'yan ni pastor. 'Wag lang makialam ang Amerika, i-secure niyo lang 'yung seguridad ni pastor, haharapin niya lahat ng accusations niya sa korte. So ganito ang nangyari," she said.

Strict adherence to procedures

Also, during the hearing, PNP Chief Rommel Marbil maintained that the PNP carried out the June 10 operation "with strict adherence to the PNP operational procedures" and their guiding principle was to uphold human rights while executing their duties with the highest standards of professionalism and respect of the law.

He explained that the deployment of the police officers and the use of extensive resources was because Quiboloy posed "a high threat due to considerable influence and extensive network" which complicated their efforts to apprehend him.

Furthermore, the religious leader "may employ armed civilian supporters to evade arrest" which necessitated the use of Special Action Forces.

"This operation was not just a routine action. It was a critical mission to execute a lawful warrant of arrest against the fugitives of the law Apollo Quiboloy and five others in connection with non-bailable offenses. Sa Tagalog po natin, walang piyansa ang child abuse and qualified trafficking," Marbil said.

"On the day of the operation despite facing unprovoked resistance from KOJC followers, our personnel exercised remarkable self-restraint and maximum tolerance throughout the operation to avoid tension and prevent any untoward incident," he said, adding that the PNP did not retaliate nor resort to excessive force.

Further, Marbil said that KOJC members "disgracefully chose to use women and children as human shields" instead of cooperating with authorities and this resulted in obstruction and delay of the lawful actions of the policemen.

"Armed with bolos and other bladed weapons male members of this group engaged in violent confrontations with police officers [and] as a result six individuals and two minors were taken to the police station but were released the same day for humanitarian reasons," Marbil said.

The PNP Chief said they were open to any investigation of the police operation. — DVM, GMA Integrated News