Marcos defends police ops in KOJC compound, says no human rights were violated

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Tuesday defended the Philippine National Police (PNP) who are conducting operations to find and arrest fugitive pastor Apollo Quiboloy in Davao City, noting there have been no human rights violations committed by law enforcers.

''Mayroon bang human rights violation kung maraming pulis? I don't think so. The reason we did this was so that we can contain the peace. The only way to maintain the peace is to make sure that the area is safe and is secure, and considering that this is a 30-hectare compound, kailangan mo talaga ng maraming tao,'' Marcos told Palace reporters.

''Hindi mo pwedeng gawin ito ng isang dosenang pulis, hindi na bale 'yung lumalaban o nagreresist, nanghaharang,'' the President added.

(Is the presence of many police officers a human rights violation? The reason we did this was so that we can contain the peace… and considering that this is a 30-hectare compound, we require many personnel.

We cannot do this with just a dozen police officers, it does not matter if there is violence or resistance, obstructions.)

Marcos also denied that the cops who trooped to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ compound were armed, saying that they did not use tear gas against the KOJC members as some followers of Quiboloy have claimed.

''I can, you go to human rights advocators nothing that we did... lahat ng pumasok na pulis hindi armado, walang baril kahit isa. Hindi kami gumamit ng tear gas, wala kaming ginawang ganoon,'' he explained. 

(The police who entered the property were unarmed, no one had a firearm. No tear gas was used, we did not use it.)

The President also said he could not understand why Quiboloy was supposedly using KOJC members for his protection.

''Hindi ko nga maintindihan bakit dinadamay ni Quiboloy ang mga tauhan niya, kasi sinasabak niya mga tauhan niya eh wala namang kasalanan mga 'yan, they just believe, they are looking for an answer, a value system and they think they have found it with Quiboloy,'' Marcos said.

(I don't understand why Quiboloy is involving his followers, he is throwing them into the fray when they have not done anything wrong, they just believe...)

''But they did not sign up to be in the frontline of this kind of thing that's happening now, that they'll protect him from arrest even when he has cases filed against him not only here in [the Philippines] but also in the (United States),'' he added.

Marcos stressed that he understands the members' disagreement with law enforcers; but he insisted that the police are just enforcing the arrest warrant against Quiboloy.

Davao City Mayor Sebastian "Baste" Duterte earlier said the police should say how long it plans to stay at the KOJC property, saying the police presence has been causing inconvenience to the public.

Duterte said while he respects the implementation of the arrest warrant on KOJC leader Apollo Quiboloy, he stressed it should adhere to the law.

Quiboloy is facing charges of child and sexual abuse and human trafficking. He has repeatedly denied the allegations.—RF, GMA Integrated News