One of the co-accused of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy was arrested in Davao City a few days after the government announced a P1 million reward for any information that could lead to the arrest of the co-accused.
Police arrested Paulene Canada at a subdivision in Barangay Cabantian afternoon on Thursday, July 11, 2024.
A court in Pasig City issued an arrest warrant against Quiboloy, Canada, and four others for human trafficking charges.
According to some residents of the subdivision, Canada has been living in the area for around one year.
“Iyang bana ug ang iyang asawa…Mugawas lang unya mag-pick up mugawas…Kanang duha jud…Lahi lahi ang klase sa mga sakyanan nga muparking diha but wala ko magduda kung unsa sila…Kasagaran akong makita is kanang helper. Naay magbisbis og tubig,” one of Canada’s neighbors said.
Canada was presented at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame morning on Friday, July 12.
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said an informant tipped authorities on the whereabouts of Canada.
“Mga bandang July 9, higit kumulang alas nuebe, 9:30 ng umaga, isang hindi nagpakilalang caller ang tumawag sa hotline ng Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division ng office dito po sa region 11 Kaila Nic Torre para i-report sa pulis na nakita niya ang isang babae na kamukha ng nasa litrato ng wanted poster na inilabas ng PNP na may reward na isang milyong peso,” Abalos said.
The arrest warrant will now be returned to the court, which is set to issue a commitment order for Canada’s detention.
However, Quiboloy’s camp questioned why the Police Regional Office-Davao (PRO-11) allegedly denied having arrested Canada, when asked about it.
“Tumawag pala muna ako kay Gen. Torre, hindi ako nasagot. Nag-text ako hindi ako na-answer. So pumunta aka doon, nag-fill-up ako ng form because I wanted to confirm kung andun ba talaga sa kanila. Hindi ako na-meet ni director Torre kasi wala daw siya. Yung kanyang secretary na police ang nag-meet sa akin at nagsabi sa akin at sabi wala wala kaming nadakip. Sigurado kayo? Wala kaming nadakip sir fake news yan… Pero noong tinext ko yung isang kaibigan na heneral, eh sinabihan ako na padre, eh, bakit ide-deny, eh, reported na dito sa Camp Crame na nadakip na si Paulene Canada,” Quiboloy’s legal counsel, Atty. Israelito Torreon, said.
PRO-11 Director, Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III, said he was not aware of Torreon’s claims as their last communication was around a month ago.
“I’m not aware of that yung mga sinabi ni atty torreon because I haven’t seen him since kami nag usap sa Dusit Thani. And I have requested him since he presented himself to be the lawyer of the fugitives kaya kinausap ko siya na sana tulungan niya ako na i-surrender na lang and he actually gave commitment na tutulong. And then, since then sa pagdating ko, one month later, he never communicated with me until we arrested his person,” Torre said.
Abalos believed that Quiboloy is still in the country and that the P10 million reward being offered will help in his arrest.
“Maaaring kung nasaan sila na part ng mundo. There’s always that possibility. Pero sa aming nakikita ngayon, nandyan lang yan sa Pilipinas. Nandito lang yan. We will assure you this like what we’ve assure you before, lumiliit na ang Pilipinas para sa kanila,” Abalos said.