WITH pastor Apollo Quiboloy in custody, the PNP has turned its focus on going after the personalities who helped the founder of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) and his co-accused hide and evade justice before they surrendered to authorities on September 8.
In a statement, police chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil said he has ordered the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to identify Quiboloy’s coddlers and file obstruction of justice charges against them.
Marbil said Quiboloy could not have eluded authorities without the help of his close associates, which he said included legal representatives who misled authorities on the whereabouts of the 74-year-old pastor.
“We will not tolerate any form of obstruction of justice. Our investigation aims to identify those who knowingly provided refuge to Quiboloy, and we will ensure they face appropriate legal consequences,” he said.
“Obstruction of justice is a serious offense, and those who aided in shielding Quiboloy from law enforcement will be charged accordingly. The law is clear — no one is above it, and those who helped Quiboloy will be held accountable,” he added.
Quiboloy and his co-accused in human trafficking and child abuse cases surrendered last September 8 after policemen surrounded the Bible School building, where he was holed up, inside the KOJC compound in Davao City.
Officials said Quiboloy was given a 24-hour ultimatum to surrender, otherwise hundreds of policemen would assault the building, leaving him and the others with no other option but to surrender.
Thousands of policemen swooped down at the 30-hectare KOJC compound last August 24 to serve arrest warrants issued by the Pasig and Quezon city courts a few months ago. The Senate has also issued an arrest warrant against the religious leader for refusing to cooperate in its probe.
A day after Quiboloy’s surrender, Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalor Jr vowed those who harbored Quiboloy will be held accountable, saying: “I am sure someone should be guilty of obstruction of justice (for) concealing someone who is wanted by law.”
Marbil said: “Our commitment is clear — we will not stop until justice is served.”
Marbil ordered the CIDG, under Maj. Gen. Leo Francisco, to lead the case build-up against those who harbored Quiboloy.
“The CIDG will spearhead efforts to gather evidence and ensure that those complicit in harboring the fugitive are brought to justice,” the PNP’s Public Information Office said in a separate statement.
“The PNP, under Gen. Marbil’s leadership, remains steadfast in ensuring that justice prevails, undeterred by any attempts to hinder law enforcement efforts,” the statement also said.
US EXTRADITION
Ambassador Jose Martin Romualdez to Washington yesterday said the extradition to the United States of Quiboloy is inevitable, even as he acknowledged that the pastor has to first face charges of child abuse and qualified human trafficking before Philippine courts.
Last Friday, Quiboloy pleaded not guilty to both raps filed before the Quezon City and Pasig City courts.
“Here, he also faces numerous cases and witnesses coming forward openly, citing instances of abuse, human trafficking, sex trafficking, and child abuse connected to the pastor. All these need to go through the justice system,” Romualdez said in an interview over GMA7’s online news outfit.
“At some point in time, we’ll have to face up to it also that the extradition is inevitable,” the envoy added.
Earlier, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the US is expected to file an extradition request with the country, but added that prior to the possible extradition, Quiboloy must first be tried by local courts.
If an extradition request is filed, Remulla said the DOJ will study it thoroughly before a decision can be made.
The extradition treaty between the Philippines and the US has been in existence since 1995.
Quiboloy has been indicted by a federal grand jury for sex trafficking, along with KOJC officials Teresita Tolibas Dandan and Felina Salinas.
The federal indictment in California alleged that Quiboloy and his co-accused “recruited females ranging from approximately 12 to 25 years of age to work as personal assistants, or ‘pastorals’” for Quiboloy.
It also states that the victims prepared Quiboloy’s meals, cleaned his residences, gave him massages and were required to have sex with him in what the pastorals called were supposed to be their “night duty.”
The indictment mentions five female victims, three of whom were minors when the alleged sex trafficking began.
The indictment led to the preacher’s inclusion in the most wanted list of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Quiboloy has denied the accusations in the US and Philippine courts. — With Ashzel Hachero
