Alleged trafficker and doomsday preacher Apollo Quiboloy finally appeared in public on September 9, not as a televangelist, but as a captured fugitive who faces cases of abuse and trafficking.
Wearing detainee shirts, Quiboloy and his fellow accused were presented before the public during a press conference a day after their arrest. The preacher’s face was not visible though as it was concealed with a cap, sunglasses, and a mask.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) arrested Quiboloy in Davao City after almost five months of a manhunt and a prolonged standoff between cops and the preacher’s supporters from the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC). A day after Quiboloy’s arrest, the police narrated in detail how they got hold of one of the country’s most elusive fugitives.
Two days before his arrest, authorities received crucial information about the spiritual leader’s possible location in the KOJC compound, the PNP said. For months, the police had been receiving reports about Quiboloy’s whereabouts, but this information came from a tipster believed to have had “disgruntled belief” in Quiboloy and who wanted him arrested.
Department of the Interior and Local Government chief Benhur Abalos described the information as their “big break.” The tip also reinforced what the police knew then, PNP chief Police General Rommel Francisco Marbil added. The crucial tip was followed by a war-like flex of police force.
Davao Region police chief Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III disclosed that Quiboloy was arrested in bible school, “ACQ College of Ministries,” located inside the KOJC compound in Davao. Torre said police forces had surrounded and inspected the area even before Quiboloy’s arrest.
Police were supposed to launch an assault operation in the said building at 1 pm Saturday to end the standoff and finally arrest Quiboloy. But Torre said they delayed it because there were ongoing preparations at the nearby Jose Maria College Foundation Inc. for the following day’s Bar exams. The next day, Torre said they stood their ground and insisted they would hunt for Quiboloy, no matter what.
“We will look for Pastor Quiboloy our way, because for two weeks, it’s always your way,” Torre said, recounting a conversation with the camp of the fugitive.
The PNP deployed at least 500 from each of its elite units Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) and Special Action Force, and another 500 cops from Regional Mobile Force Battalion’s SWAT team, resembling a war-like scene inside Quiboloy’s compound.
“We deployed that many personnel as early as Saturday. In other words, were prepared for everything because that was the final assault,” Abalos said.
This flexing of police force did not go unnoticed as feelers came in as early as 10 am on Sunday. Torre said national headquarters called him about the said feelers and in response, he said he would postpone their assault to 3 pm. Negotiations occurred and Torre was informed that an aircraft would fly Quiboloy from Davao to Manila.
As the 3 pm deadline neared, Torre said his cops were already preparing to launch their assault. Torre received another call, so he stalled the operation once more. But this time, he gave an ultimatum.
Torre said his cops would launch the assault at 3:15 pm if the aircraft didn’t arrive by then, or if Quiboloy’s camp failed to show even a flight directive.
The tension eased after the Davao Region police chief received final confirmation about Quiboloy’s transport to Metro Manila. A C-130 aircraft flew to the Davao International Airport to transport Quiboloy to Manila. The doomsday preacher was brought to the PNP Custodial Center, where he is currently detained.
“In the middle of all those things, we really had doubts that maybe we were being taken for a ride,” Torre admitted.
‘Deception game’
As early as April, the courts handling Quiboloy’s cases had already issued warrants of arrest against him. It took the PNP five months to arrest the alleged trafficker, who’s also in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s most wanted list. So what took them so long?
Marbil said the authorities had to play a “deception game” or engage in a tug-of-war with Quiboloy. When over 2,000 cops conducted a massive search inside the KOJC compound on August 24, the PNP chief said they banked on the “80 to 90%” assurance that Quiboloy was in the location they knew, citing intelligence. Quiboloy, obviously, was not arrested that day.
The PNP chief said there were not a few times that, when cops were inside the compound to look for and arrest Quiboloy, his lawyers would call to allegedly bargain and say that the fugitive would surrender to authorities.
What he termed as a “deception game” came to an end when the cops were given orders to finish the standoff, were granted permission to launch an assault operation in the building where Quiboloy was hiding, and were given their crucial tip.
“His surrender is just for formality. Because at the end of the day, whether he likes it or not, the end result will ultimately be the same. So maybe he just chose the path that he thought would be easier for him. And on our part, we preferred that there will be no additional injuries,” the Davao Region top cop said.
“But they really have no options whatsoever. By the time the government, General Marbil and SILG (Secretary of the Interior and Local Government), gave orders to finish the standoff, we already knew where Quiboloy was,” Torre added.
Quiboloy’s demands
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself confirmed that Quiboloy asked for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to be present during his arrest because “he (Quiboloy) did not trust the police.” This was among Quiboloy’s list of requests.
“So, fine, that’s what we did…. I cannot remember the precise time — but by nine o’clock yesterday in the morning, I was able to say, ‘Ok, go ahead.’ So and that was it. So negotiations continued,” said Marcos on Monday, September 9.
Quiboloy was ultimately brought to the PNP custodial center for detention. The doomsday preacher will likely remain in the custodial center as the court has yet to issue a commitment order for him. High profile accused are also usually detained inside Camp Crame for security reasons, like in Alice Guo’s case.
Despite this, Quiboloy’s legal team still seeks to transfer custody over him to the military, if he is not placed under house arrest.
“We will, right now, we filed a motion for the transfer of his custody to the AFP, citing among other grounds, security reasons. And we are hoping that the court would grant the same, or at the very least, a house arrest, knowing that he also, he is already 74 years old,” KOJC lawyer Israelito Torreon told reporters.
It’s highly unlikely that this will be granted given that the police and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology — not the military — are the appropriate agencies to hold an accused.
“The Department of National Defense (DND) will oppose any motion to have Pastor Quiboloy transferred to AFP custody. AFP facilities are subject to strict operational security protocols, thus, the AFP is not the proper agency to have custody of suspects in criminal cases,” the DND said in a statement.
Quiboloy’s other request, according to Abalos, was to “not see Torre’s face.” Torre was the lead commander of the Davao cops who arrested Quiboloy in his own home turf.
in previous negotiations, the doomsday preacher also requested the Marcos government not to have him extradited to the United States, where he faces a string of cases, including sex trafficking of children and fraud, among others. Although the Marcos government officially rejected this condition, it appears that Quiboloy will be getting what he wanted because the Philippines won’t be sending him just yet to the US.
Marcos said on Monday that Quiboloy will first have to face his cases in the Philippines before there could be any talk of extradition to the US. The President also confirmed that the US has yet to file an extradition request for the doomsday preacher.
Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla said in a statement: “The embattled religious leader will be tried first in the Philippines for crimes he committed here, and if convicted, must first serve his sentence before granting any request for extradition by the US.”
What does Quiboloy’s arrest mean?
The arrest of the notorious alleged trafficker means two things for the Marcos administration.
Quiboloy’s arrest could possibly be the Marcos government’s response to the growing pressure to arrest high-level fugitives. It is crucial for any administration to go after fugitives to gain public trust by showing accountability, even for big names, and respect for the rule of law.
Before Quiboloy and Guo’s arrest, there had been a number of high-level fugitives who were in hiding. These include former corrections chief Gerald Bantag, the alleged mastermind behind the killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid, and expelled lawmaker Arnie Teves.
Teves is allegedly behind the killing of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo, and is currently in Timor-Leste pending his extradition.
All four — Bantag, Teves, Guo, and Quiboloy — were probed and became fugitives under the current administration.
Quiboloy’s arrest also reaffirms the growing rift between Marcos and the Dutertes. After the so-called “Uniteam” fell apart, the Marcos administration doubled down on Quiboloy, the former president’s confidante and decades-long friend, and his supposed spiritual adviser.
Quiboloy is not the lone Duterte ally to be pinned by the current administration. Duterte himself, members of his family, and other allies also face a string of allegations under Marcos. (READ: ‘DDS cops’ flourished under Duterte, but now being probed under Marcos)
Quiboloy’s arrest sends a strong message from Marcos to the Dutertes: As president and commander in chief, I wield influence and power, even over the so-called “Appointed Son of God.” – Rappler.com
*Quotes were translated into English for brevity