DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 12 August) – Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte has denied knowledge of the whereabouts of Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy amid speculations that the fugitive religious leader is hiding in the 30-hectare Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) Compound in Barangay Buhangin, this city.
In a pre-recorded episode of “Basta Dabawenyo” and uploaded on his Facebook page on Sunday, Duterte said he does not know if Quiboloy is still in the city but urged him not to hide here where several law enforcers are looking for him.
“Wala ko kahibalo. Siguro kung ako si pastor dili pud siguro ko dre og asa ko nila ginapangita. Ngano dire man ko motago? (I don’t know. Maybe, if I were pastor, I would not stay here where they are looking for me. Why would I hide here),” he said.
Duterte said that with Quiboloy’s resources, he could escape to another country.
“Probably, with the resources (that pastor has), daghan mana sya og simbahan all around, mo-chill lang sa sya laing lugar, laing nasud ana ba (he has several churches all around, he should lie low in another place or in another country),” he said.
Quiboloy is facing charges of child abuse and qualified human trafficking, along with Jackielyn Roy, Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Ingrid Canada, and Sylvia Cemañes. Paulene was arrested last July 11 at her residence in Emily Homes Subdivision in Barangay Cabantian.
The suspects have two warrants of arrest issued by the Regional Trial Court (RTC)-Branch 12 in Davao City and the RTC in Pasig City last April 3 and April 11, respectively.
However, the Supreme Court’s Second Division ordered last May 28 the transfer of two criminal cases from the RTC in Davao to the RTC in Quezon City.
Last Friday, operatives from the National Bureau of Investigation-Davao failed to find Quiboloy after searching some structures at the KOJC Compound, particularly the King Dome and residential quarters.
Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, director of the Police Regional Office-Davao Region earlier said that effecting the arrest at the KOJC Compound would be difficult as there are 41 structures within the 30-hectare property, requiring several police personnel.
Torre told reporters in an interview at Camp Sgt. Quintin M. Merecido last July 6 that Quiboloy is just hiding at the KOJC Compound based on intelligence reports.
He said the local police received a number of information after authorities opened a hotline, following the announcement of a cash reward of P10-million for any leads that could lead to Quiboloy’s arrest. A bounty of P1 million was also offered for the arrest of each of his co-accused.
Quiboloy was a close friend and spiritual adviser of the mayor’s father, former President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
The religious leader supported the UniTeam Alliance that gave the tandem of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte a landslide victory during the 2022 national elections. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)
