Rody on serving of Quiboloy arrest warrant: Overkill

Former president Rodrigo Duterte and the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) condemned what they described as “overkill” in police operations to serve arrest warrants for accused sex offender and human trafficker Apollo Quiboloy and his accomplices.

-  DIANA LHYD SUELTO and EDITH REGALADO

“I strongly condemn the use of excessive and unnecessary force in serving the warrant of arrest for Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ by police officers who are not even from Davao City,” Duterte, who is also KOJC property administrator, said yesterday.

He added that the operation “is absolutely unacceptable,” having occurred in a place of worship and on school premises.

The heavily armed raiding teams of the Special Action Force (SAF) and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) from Region 10 raided several properties owned by Quiboloy, including their main compound beside the Davao City International Airport that houses KOJC’s Jose Maria College and worship building.

They also stormed through the sect’s Prayer Mountain and Glory Mountain in Barangay Tamayong, QSands Baptismal Resort in the Island Garden City of Samal and the Kitbog Compound in Malungon, Sarangani, but was not able to find Quiboloy.

The raiding teams, who were in full battle gear, scaled the high fence and gates of the KOJC main compound on Diversion Road and destroyed the gates at the Glory Mountain to gain access to the properties.

“Will this overkill be the trademark of this administration when dealing with individuals who are merely accused of committing a crime and have not been proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt?” Duterte asked.

“Will they exhibit the same lack of self-restraint they have shown towards critics of this administration when dealing with their supporters?” he added.

In the KOJC main compound, at least three members were injured in the short melee that transpired when the police tried to scale the gate of the compound.

Nine members of the group were handcuffed by the police at the Glory Mountain on allegations that they were carrying bolos during the raid.