Marcos says Quiboloy requested for AFP presence as he does not trust PNP

Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder Pastor Apollo Quiboloy requested for military presence as he had no trust in the police force, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said on Monday.

According to Marcos, Quiboloy had sent surrender feelers between 8 to 9 in the morning of Sunday, September 8.

“Ang sabi niya, sana may presence ng AFP dahil wala daw siya tiwala sa pulis,” Marcos told Palace reporters.

(He said he hopes the Armed Forces of the Philippines will be there because he has no trust in the police.)

The President was amenable to Quiboloy's request regarding AFP presence and he then directed law enforcers to push through with the operation. A C-130 was sent to Davao City to bring him to Manila.

''By nine o’clock yesterday in the morning, I was able to say, 'Sige, ituloy ninyo na [Ok, proceed]. Agreed to those – agreed to those -- to that scenario.' So, and that was it,'' he added.

Marcos also said what transpired was a police-led operation.

''It was a police operation. Kung anuman ang involvement ng AFP diyan ay, as I said, augmentation (Whatever the involvement of the AFP was just augmentation),'' Marcos said.

Still, Marcos commended the Philippine National Police and other concerned individuals and agencies following the surrender of Quiboloy.

''Kaya congratulations sa lahat ng ating mga kapulisan, ‘yung na-involve, ‘yung behind the scenes na na-involve. Ang ating Chief PNP ay talagang all the time, araw-araw nagre-report sa akin. Sometimes two, three times a day, kung ano ‘yung na --- ano ‘yung mga pangyayari doon sa Davao,'' Marcos told reporters.

(Congratulations to our police officers and to those involved behind the scenes. Our Chief PNP reports to me daily. Sometimes two, three times a day about the happenings in Davao.)

 ''So, I’m --- it is really with some relief that I can say that at least this part, this phase of that operation is now over. And we now leave Mr. Quiboloy to the judiciary, to the judicial system,'' he added.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) earlier said the fugitive pastor had surrendered after he was given an ultimatum by the organization to turn himself in within 24 hours.

According to PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo, law enforcers had given him the ultimatum to surrender within that period, otherwise a building in the KOJC compound in Davao City would be entered by authorities.

Earlier reports said Quiboloy had turned himself in to the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) at around 5:30 p.m. Also captured were Jackielyn Roy, Ingrid Canada, Crisente Canada, Syliva Cemañes.

Quiboloy and his alleged cohorts were flown out from Davao at 6:30 p.m. and arrived at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City at around 8:30 p.m.

They were taken to Camp Crame in Quezon City, arriving at around 9:10 p.m., and underwent the booking process.

Surrender?

For Marcos, Quiboloy was forced to turn himself in given that law enforcers were already near him. He emphasized that the police have been persistent in capturing the KOJC founder.

''The question that is being asked kagabi pa hanggang ngayon, 'Nag-surrender ba o nahuli? (Did he surrender or was he arrested)' I think that is a legal question. Pero ganito ang iniisip ko, hindi siya magsu --- hindi siya lilitaw kung hindi namin hinabol nang husto (For me, he will not surface if the police have not been persistent in catching him),'' Marcos said.

Ang pagkaintidi ko ang pag-surrender, ‘pag sinabing surrender, I don’t know maybe the legalist can explain this, ngunit ang pagkaintindi ko, ang surrender kapag wanted ka, ang surrender pupunta ka sa police station o sa ewan ko, sa prosecutor, I don’t know kung saan. To an official authority, sasabihin 'nagsu-surrender na ako, alam ko may court order, may arrest order na ako, kaya’t magsu-surrender na ako.' Hindi ganyan ‘yung nangyari. Ang nangyari napilitan siyang lumabas dahil malapit na ang pulis sa kanya,'' he explained.

(In my own understanding, when you say that you surrender, you will go to the police station or maybe a prosecutor. To an official authority wherein you will say that you will surrender because you have a court order, an arrest order. That's not what happened. He was forced to turn himself in because the police were already near him.)

According to the President, Quiboloy said he does not want his followers to die so he opted to turn himself in.

''To his credit, ang sabi niya ‘yung mga follower niya magpapakamatay para sa kanya at ayaw niyang mangyari ‘yun (He said his followers would kill themselves and he does not want that to happen). So to his credit, that --- he was still displaying a modicum of leadership to his followers,'' Marcos said.

Quiboloy is facing charges under Section 5(b) and  Section 10(a) of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act.

He is also facing a non-bailable qualified human trafficking charge under Section 4(a) of Republic Act No. 9208, as amended, before a Pasig court.

READ: TIMELINE: Apollo Quiboloy's legal troubles

Quiboloy has since denied all allegations thrown against him. —KG/RSJ, GMA Integrated News