Quiboloy church gets court protection

By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter

A DAVAO CITY regional trial court (RTC) on Tuesday ordered the police and Interior and Local Government department to stop actions that threaten the life, liberty or security of members of a church whose leader is wanted for child abuse and human trafficking.

The court also ordered the police to remove barricades from the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound in Davao City, which could hinder their religious freedom. “The court is not unaware of the recent incidents affecting the right to life, liberty, safety of the petitioners, its officers and members,” Presiding Judge Mario C. Duaves said in a three-page order.

Israelito P. Torreon, lawyer for church leader Apollo C. Quiboloy, who has gone into hiding, sent a copy of the court order to reporters via Viber.

Police raided the 30-hectare church compound on Saturday, but they did not find Mr. Quiboloy there.

The charismatic leader and five other members of his church are facing charges of child abuse and human trafficking, with two courts in Davao City in southern Philippines and Pasig City in Metro Manila having ordered their arrest.

The Senate has separately ordered his arrest for snubbing its own investigation of the church.

United States federal prosecutors in 2021 indicted Mr. Quiboloy for having sex with women and underage girls who faced threats of abuse and “eternal damnation.”

Charges also included sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, marriage fraud, money laundering, cash smuggling and visa fraud.

Saturday’s raid led to a standoff with some church members, one of whom died of a heart attack.

The Interior department said it had received a copy of the court order.

“We will seek clarification from RTC Branch 15 considering that the police operations and barricades do not pose a threat to life, liberty or security of KOJC members,” DILG Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” C. Abalos, Jr. said in a statement.

“Rather, these are only being done pursuant to the lawful enforcement of the warrants of arrest from the Pasig City RTC Branch 159 and Davao City RTC Branch,” he added.

He said the court did not order police to stop serving the arrest warrant.

“Therefore, the Philippine National Police will continue to carry out its duty to serve the warrants of arrest against Apollo Quiboloy and his co-accused, with due respect to human rights and the legal process,” Mr. Abalos said.

The church, represented by one of its pastors, earlier asked the court to stop the police and Interior department from violating the rights of its members.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday told reporters he does not see human rights violations in the police operation.

“I don’t understand why Quiboloy is involving his followers in this situation,” he said in Filipino. “He’s putting them in harm’s way when they haven’t done anything wrong.”

“They didn’t sign up to be on the frontline of this kind of thing, where they have to protect him from arrest, even though he has cases filed against him not just here in the Philippines but also in the US,” Mr. Marcos said.

Supreme Court spokesperson Camille Sue Mae L. Ting told reporters in a Viber group chat the “temporary protection order” issued by the lower court does not deter the service of the warrant.

Meanwhile, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) reminded police to observe human rights and maximum tolerance amid the standoff.

“The commission reiterates its appeal to the PNP to exercise maximum tolerance and to avoid misconduct and arbitrary arrests,” it said in a statement.

It said it was investigating incidents involving policemen and church members whose right might have been violated.

It also said it has noted the rescue of two alleged human trafficking victims inside the compound.

“The commission expresses deep concern over reports of illicit activities reportedly committed by some members of the PNP and Kingdom of Jesus Christ,” it added.