Quiboloy, co-accused mugshots blurred? PNP explains why

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday explained why the police organization released blurred versions of the mugshots of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and his co-accused.

"Same case din po sa mga iba nating mga ni-release na photos before ay blurred din po in compliance po yan sa utos ng [Commission on Human Rights] na hangga't  maaari ay hindi po ipakita," PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo told Unang Balita in an interview.

(It's the same case with other photos that we have released before, they were also blurred in compliance with the order of the Commission on Human Rights that as much as possible, the faces should not be shown.)

"Even yung mga ordinary po na naa-arrest po natin na galing po sa mga region at iba pa pong operating unit, kapag naglabas po yan ng mugshot nakatago po talaga yung mukha," she added.

(Even the ordinary people that are arrested in regions by other operating units, their faces are not shown in the mugshots that are released.)

Fajardo clarified that the mugshot of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo that the PNP officially released to the media was also blurred too.

"Linawin lang po natin. Yung nilabas po natin na official mugshot po ni Alice Guo ay blurred din po. Blurred din po yun, yung mismong ni-release ng aming opisina," Fajardo said.

(Let's make it clear. The official mugshot of Alice Guo that we released was also blurred. It was also blurred, the one released by our office.)

Asked why Quiboloy and his co-accused were presented to the media with their faces covered unlike Guo, Fajardo said the KOJC leader and the others requested for it.

"Yung nangyari po kay Alice Guo noong lumapag po sila ay naka-face mask lang po siya. Yun naman po. Sabi naman po niya, okay naman po siya doon pero kung napansin niyo po noong nandoon na po siya ay tumalikod po siya. Hindi po natin siya mapuwersa po talaga na iharap. Karapatan naman po niya yun,” she said.

(What happened with Alice Guo was when she landed she was only wearing a face mask. That's it. She said she was okay with it, but if you noticed when she was there, she turned her back. We can't really force her. That is her right.)

“In the case of Quiboloy at iba pa po, when they were informed na ipre-present po sila sa media ay nakiusap sila na takpan po yung kanilang mukha and then kailangan nating pagbigyan. Again, karapatan po nila yun,” she added.

(In the case of Quiboloy and others, when they were informed that they would be presented to the media, they requested that their faces be covered and we had to grant it. Again, that's their right.)

Quiboloy and his other co-accused are currently detained at the PNP Custodial Center at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

Fajardo said the detainees on Tuesday morning were served with hard boiled eggs, corned beef, rice, and coffee

The PNP spokesperson said she was able to talk to Quiboloy and he told her that he was okay. She added that the detainees were “adjusting” in detention.

Quiboloy and his other co-accused are under police custody for alleged violation of the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act as well as qualified human trafficking. 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.

Quiboloy's camp has repeatedly denied the allegations against him. —KBK, GMA Integrated News