Kingdom of Jesus Christ Founder Apollo Quiboloy (INQUIRER file photo)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Around 2,000 members of the Philippine National Police raided the compound of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) in Buhangin District, Davao City on Saturday in another attempt to serve the arrest warrant against televangelist Apollo Quiboloy and other sect members.
The accused are facing charges of child abuse and human trafficking.
Quiboloy’s arrest had been ordered by courts in Davao and Pasig cities.
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According to Maj. Catherine Dela Rey, spokesperson of the Davao Police Regional Office, the police raiders assembled outside the compound at 4 a.m. and gave the compound administrators 30 minutes to open the gates so the law enforcers could enter.
The police warned warning that those who will obstruct the service of the warrants would be arrested.
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“It did not take them 30 minutes to open the gates to the compound,” Dela Rey told reporters.
KOJC compound raid
Dela Rey said the raid is based on an intelligence report that Quiboloy, who admitted that he went into hiding last February, is just lurking in the KOJC compound.
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Dela Rey also confirmed that a male KOJC member had died on Sunday morning from cardiac arrest but she brushed aside insinuations on social media it was because of the raid.
She said that the KOJC member, who has yet to be identified, was pronounced dead past 6 a.m. at the Southern Philippines Medical Center.
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She added that the man must have been physically exhausted from several days and nights of guarding one of the KOJC compound’s gates.
As of 9 a.m., Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, Davao regional police director, who was present at the raid, said they have not yet scoured through even half the compound.