Apollo Quiboloy, head of The Kingdom of Jesus Christ. | Photo by MANMAN DEJETO / AFP
MANILA, Philippines — Televangelist Apollo Quiboloy “decided to make the ultimate sacrifice” by surrendering to authorities, as he does not want “lawless violence” to continue inside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) compound in Davao City, his lead lawyer Israelito Torreon said Monday.
Quiboloy and four of his subordinates surrendered to authorities on Sunday following the 24-hour ultimatum issued by the Philippine National Police (PNP), which has been trying to serve the standing warrants of arrest for the sect leader and his aides over child abuse and human trafficking charges.
“This is to inform the Filipino People that Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy decided to surrender to the PNP/AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) because he did not want the lawless violence to continue to happen in the KJC Compound and he could not bear to witness a second longer the sufferings that his flock was experiencing for many days,” Torreon said in a statement.
READ: Solons seek House probe into Dutertes’ role in hiding Quiboloy
According to Torreon, Quiboloy was out of reach for days, waiting for “positive results vis-a-vis the legal remedies that his lawyers opted to avail.”
“However, heart-wrenching and mind-boggling events transpired where a warrant of arrest has been turned into a license to convert his beloved KJC Compound into a police garrison, the sacred KJC Cathedral being desecrated, the JMC (Jose Maria College) School turned into a mining pit, his followers as recipients of brutalities, one of whom even died, scores injured, many got arbitrarily arrested, vehicles unilaterally confiscated, all of which caused Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s heart to bleed.”
READ: Solon calls on gov’t to dismantle Quiboloy’s ‘Davao mafia’
“Hence, even if he has the right to await the result of the legal remedies being resorted to by his lawyers, he decided to make the ultimate sacrifice by surrendering himself to the PNP and AFP,” Quiboloy’s lawyer added.
Surrender
Torreon likewise thanked several local government, military, and police officials for their “valiant and facilitative efforts.” But he did not specify how these officials helped Quiboloy “surrender” to the government.
READ: Quiboloy, 4 others surrender to cops in Davao, flown to Manila
Among the officials that Torreon thanked were:
- Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib
- Army Major General Allan Hambala
- Colonel Guilbert Roy Ruiz
- Lt. Col. Jovily Carmel Cabading
- Lt. Col. Pete Malaluan
- Lt Col. Ricardo “Ray” Garcia
- General Romeo Macapaz
- Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Major General Leo Francisco
- Colonel Cholijun Caduyac
- Colonel Mike Mangahis (CIDG)
- Major Edgardo Bahan
- Retired Colonel Emil Zosa
Torreon likewise particularly expressed his gratitude to Eastern Mindanao-Area Police Command chief Major General Benjamin Silo Jr. because, according to the lawyer, the police official’s “character, integrity, and honesty” have “convinced Quiboloy to submit himself to the folds of the law.”
READ: DOJ exec: No guarantee Quiboloy won’t be handed over to US
Non-existent arrest
Reporters reached out to the PNP for its comments on Torreon’s statement, but it has not replied as of posting time.
On Sunday evening, another lawyer of Quiboloy disputed the claim of Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos that the sect leader was arrested.
Atty. Ferdinand Topacio said Quiboloy voluntarily surrendered to the AFP. He then called Abalos “epal” (Filipino slang for attention grabber) for allegedly “taking credit” for a “non-existent arrest.”
PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo, however, said Quiboloy, Jackielyn Roy, Ingrid Canada, Cresente Canada, and Sylvia Camanes, were arrested inside the KJC compound on Sunday, September 8.
Quiboloy, Roy, Ingrid Canada, Cresente Canada, and Camanes were sent to Manila from Davao City via C-130 plane by 6:30 p.m. and arrived at Villamor Airbase at 8:30 p.m. on the same day.
Fajardo added that they were brought to the PNP custodial center in Camp Crame in Quezon City at 9:10 p.m.
A Davao City court issued arrest warrants against Quiboloy and five of his subordinates for child abuse. One of them has been under the custody of authorities since July.
A Pasig City court also issued arrest warrants against Quiboloy and others for human trafficking.