Davao court: TPO does not stop Quiboloy search

MANILA, Philippines —   The Davao Regional Trial Court (RTC) has clarified that the temporary protection order or TPO it issued did not stop the effort to arrest Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy and his co-accused.

But RTC Branch 15 Judge Mario Duaves said the manner of serving the arrest warrant “should be necessary and reasonable.”

In a supplemental and clarificatory order dated Aug. 28, Duaves stated: “To emphasize, the issued TPO did not cancel or nullify the processes related to warrants of arrest. Both serve different purposes and are not contradictory with each other.”

The court directed the Philippine National Police to ask for approval first if the PNP were to act on things beyond the arrest of the fugitive preacher and church members Cresente Canada, Ingrid Canada, Jackielyn Roy and Sylvia Cemanes.

The TPO is “immediately executory,” Duaves stated.

The police on Aug. 24 entered the KOJC compound to serve the sexual abuse and human trafficking arrest warrants on Quiboloy and his four co-accused.

The TPO issued to the PNP directs the police to “cease and desist any act that threatens the life, liberty and security” of church members.

“Our laws and jurisprudence require that the manner in which a warrant of arrest is enforced should be necessary and reasonable,” the order made by Duaves stated.

He also ordered the PNP to “remove all forms of barricades, barriers or blockades that bar the access to and from the subject compound and hinder petitioners’ religious, academic and proprietary rights.”

The PNP last Saturday deployed 2,000 police to the KOJC compound to implement the arrest warrants, a number not likely to be reduced.

Brig. Gen. Roderick Augustus Alba, spokesperson for Special Task Force Teknon Alpha formed to smoke out Quiboloy, maintained that the number of police assigned to the KOJC compound is not excessive.

The PNP stands by the statement of President Marcos that the police who entered the KOJC’s compound were unarmed.

“You can ask any human rights advocate, there’s nothing that we did wrong—all the police who entered were unarmed. Not a single firearm was carried,” the President earlier said.

“We acknowledge the observation of the President. The police officers who initially entered Quiboloy’s compound are not equipped with any firearm,” confirmed Lt. Col. Jerick Filosofo, secondary spokesperson for Teknon Alpha.

He added that those who carried firearms were the police assigned to perimeter security and those who were tasked to do police intervention when necessary.

However, videos and photos of the first day of the implementation of the warrants show that the police were armed.

The PNP also assured KOJC members that they are not looking for anyone other than Quiboloy.

The assurance came after the police were photographed using a Proton Elic LB-8, a device used for metal detection and treasure hunting exploration.

“We are not after the properties of KOJC. We are only after Quiboloy,” Alba told reporters in a press conference.

He maintained that the devices they are using indicate that there is an underground facility in the compound.

He also added that they have gathered “human intelligence” that says the wanted leader is in the compound.

The police are already searching for the entrance to the facility, although he refused to specify the exact location of the suspected underground facility.

The PNP is also set to file obstruction of justice and assault cases against 29 KOJC members, mostly male.

Police Regional Office 11 spokesperson Maj. Catherine dela Rey did not divulge the names of the offenders.— Emmanuel Tupas, Evelyn Macairan