MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy is not deserving of house arrest because he “made it difficult” for authorities to take him into custody.
Although the decision to place Quiboloy under house arrest depends on the courts, Remulla said those who are usually given this are those who voluntarily surrender themselves to authorities.
“Those who hid and made it difficult for the government to take them into custody are not usually allowed house arrest,” he added.
Remulla said “it does not appear” that Quiboloy voluntarily surrendered to the authorities, noting that it took the police 16 days to search for him in the KOJC compound in Davao City.
“Either he was going to get caught, thus his decision to surrender, or he was about to be arrested and decided to surrender. In either case, the spontaneity of his action is absent,” he added.
Defense lawyers earlier asked the court to place Quiboloy either on house arrest or to transfer him to the custody of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, citing security concerns and age.
Quiboloy, a septuagenarian facing sexual and child abuse cases before a Quezon City court and qualified trafficking cases before a Pasig City court, is being held at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center. — Daphne Galvez, Bella Cariaso, Mark Ernest Villeza