KOJC members vow to stand ground in next police operation vs. Quiboloy

The Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) on Thursday said it will stand its ground in case the Philippine National Police (PNP) serves another warrant of arrest against its leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy inside its property.

“Kung gaano kami nanindigan nung June 10, na wala kaming kamalay-malay papunta kami sa aming devotional prayer nung umagang iyon. Nanindigan kami, we stood our ground, we fought kahit wala kaming armas,” KOJC executive secretary Eleanor Cardona said in a press conference livestreamed by Sonshine Media Network International.

“Sa pangalawang operasyon na gagawin nila, maasahan nila na ganun pa rin mas malakas lang talaga kami ngayon at mas handa kami ngayon,” she added.

(We will stand our ground just like what we did last June 10, in which we were caught by surprise since we were just about to have our devotional prayer that morning. We stood our ground and fought even though we did not have any weapons. In their second operation, they can expect that we will be stronger and more prepared.)

Cardona also alleged that the PNP will deploy 1,500 police forces to serve the arrest warrant and will stay in the compound.

PRO 11 chief Police Brigadier Nicolas Torre III earlier said the police wanted to serve the arrest warrant without any casualty as he urged Quiboloy to surrender to authorities.

Torre also said that based on indicators and informants, Quiboloy is still inside the KOJC compound in Davao City.

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

On June 10, the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group served the arrest warrant against Quiboloy, which caused tension between KOJC missionaries and police officers.

In a Senate hearing, PNP Chief Police General Rommel Marbil said male KOJC members “engaged in violent confrontation” and used women and children as “human shields.” 

KOJC CEO Nelida Lizada denied the accusation and said they only defended their properties as she claimed that the PNP attacked them in a “horrible and terroristic way” at dawn.—LDF, GMA Integrated News