Davao police chief named acting CIDG head after leading Quiboloy arrest operation

Apollo Quiboloy (C, in orange), pastor and founder of the Philippine-based Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) church, is presented to the media while Philippine National Police chief Rommel Marbil (front) looks on during a press conference at the national police headquarters in Manila on September 9, 2024. – The Philippines is not currently looking to extradite a Filipino pastor wanted for child sex trafficking in the United States, President Ferdinand Marcos said on September 9 after the suspect’s arrest. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — Police Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, the Davao regional police director who led the operation to capture Apollo Quiboloy, has been appointed acting director of the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

Torre’s new role comes two weeks after his 16-day operation, which led to the arrest of Quiboloy and four others at the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) compound in Davao City on Sept. 8.

“He will be designated in full-time capacity once promoted to major general,” PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo told the Inquirer.

READ: Apollo Quiboloy has been arrested – Abalos

The massive manhunt involved up to 2,000 police officers and led to a tunnel being dug inside the sprawling property, while being hounded by protests and legal actions by KJC lawyers and supporters.

Torre, who served as Davao’s top police official for three months, replaced Maj. Gen. Leo Francisco as PNP CIDG chief effective on Wednesday, while Brig. Gen. Leon Victor Rosete succeeded Torre as Davao regional police chief.

Another manhunt

With Torre now at the helm of PNP CIDG, he will oversee operations tracking former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, who has gone into hiding since the House of Representatives ordered his arrest on Sept. 12 after citing him for contempt for defying its order to present documents related to his assets and businesses.

Torre will also be in charge of the ongoing investigation into claims that a former PNP chief helped dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo escape from the country in July.