Topacio: Policemen at KOJC compound has 'chilling effect' on members

The presence of many policemen trying to arrest Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder Apollo Quiboloy has a ''chilling effect'' on the megachurch's members, his lawyer said Saturday.

At a media forum on Saturday, Atty. Ferdinand Topacio said police officers may have violated the 1987 Constitution, particularly the due process clause and the provision that "private property shall not be taken for public use without just compensation."

Recalling his recent visit to the KOJC compound in Davao City, Topacio said that policemen had denied him entry to the cathedral.

"To that extent, private property rights are violated; to that extent, freedom of religion is violated because they cannot use that sacred place for worship," he said.

"The presence of so many policemen there means that the compound cannot be utilized as a place of worship, as a place of residence of religious workers, and as administrative offices of [KOJC]," Topacio added.

Further, the rights of Jose Maria College students were also violated because their classes were suspended, Topacio said.

"Siguro hindi naman natin maitatanggi (We cannot deny), the presence of so many policemen sends a chilling effect," he added.

In a statement on Sunday, the PNP said it did not intend to violate the rights of any individual or entity as it respected the provisions of the Philippine Constitution.

“These provisions are considered written into the Police Operational Procedures that are  observed and maintained by the elements of the PNP tasked to serve the warrants of arrest issued against Pastor Quiboloy and his co-accused,”  PNP said.

It added that it was conducting a “more thorough search” of the KOJC compound as it believed that Quiboloy was still there.

“Be assured that the PNP will always adopt measures that are reasonable and necessary,” PNP said

In a radio interview on Saturday, Senate President Francis ''Chiz'' Escudero said the Senate hearing on Friday became a good opportunity for the police and the KOJC to exchange views with the Senate as acting as referee. 

He also called on Quiboloy to surrender, as his “feared extradition” to the United States, where faces several criminal charges, would still follow a process that he could counter with his team of lawyers.

“Kaya niyang umakyat at kwestyunin ‘yun. Sa dami ng abogado rin niya, hindi ako nagdududa na kayang protektahan 'yung kanyang karapatan at kayang mabigay lahat ng kanyang karapatan sa ilalim ng Saligang Batas. Kung gugustuhin lamang niyang magpasya na harapin ito,” he said.

(He could go up and question that… With his many lawyers, I don’t doubt that he can protect his rights and that he can exercise all his rights under the constitution if he just wanted to face this.)

Also on Saturday, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said Quiboloy is still at the KOJC compound.

The Philippine National Police also believes Quiboloy is still inside the compound.

Abalos said authorities “got good developments right now” in relation to the search for Quiboloy.

The camp of KOJC, however, maintained Quiboloy was no longer at the compound, stating that the operation of authorities was “a mission failure.”

Allegedly included in PNP's operation were the drilling and tunneling of the JMC compound and the sequestration of the KOJC Cathedral as well as some rooms of JMC and other structures, according to KOJC legal counsel Israelito Torreon.

Arrest warrants were issued against Quiboloy and several others for alleged violations of the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act as well as qualified human trafficking.

Quiboloy went into hiding shortly after the Senate issued an arrest order against him for refusing to attend the chamber's hearings.

He 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 and sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; conspiracy; and bulk cash smuggling.

The PNP has been trying to serve a warrant of arrest against Quiboloy since August 24, deploying an initial number of 2,000 police forces to enforce said warrant.

Quiboloy's camp has repeatedly denied the allegations against him. — with reports from Mariel Celine Serquiña and Jiselle Anne Casucian/VBL, GMA Integrated News