DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 8 May)—Five loose firearms of Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy were surrendered to authorities last May 2, with a top official of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) claiming that the 14 other firearms were already sold.
It took the Police Regional Office 11 (PRO-Davao) six days to make the announcement as it issued a statement on the supposed surrender of firearms only on Wednesday.
The firearms were reportedly turned over by “Mr. Marlon Acobo, Executive Pastor, and authorized representative” of the KOJC at the Quiboloy-owned Jose Maria College at the Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway in Sasa here.
PRO-Davao said Acobo “turned in five (5) firearms consisting of 1 Colt Rifle, 2 Beret Pistols, and 2 Metrillo Pistols.” The police may be referring to Beretta pistols, the Italian-made handguns popular all over the world.
“[Acobo] also informed the team that the other firearms had already been sold and handed over 14 documents as proof,” PRO-Davao said. But when MindaNews asked the spokesperson of PRO-Davao, Maj. Catherine dela Rey, when the firearms were sold, she replied that “no information was provided when they were sold.”
“This successful operation reflects the unwavering efforts of law enforcement agencies in upholding the law and maintaining peace and order in Davao Region,” the police statement reads.
Last April 26, Philippine National Police Chief Rommel Marbil approved the recommendation to revoke the gun permits of the fugitive religious leader who was given six months to surrender his loose firearms.
Quiboloy has gone into hiding long before the Senate ordered him arrested last March 19
after he was cited in contempt for continuously defying its order to appear in the investigations of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality.
The Regional Trial Court Branch 12 in Davao City released last April 3 a warrant of arrest against Quiboloy and his co-accused—Jackielyn W. Roy, Barangay Tamayong chairman Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Ingrid C. Canada, and Sylvia Cemañes—for the crime of child abuse.
This after Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla reversed the resolution of the Office of the City Prosecutor of Davao last March that dismissed the complaints for rape, qualified human trafficking, and child abuse against the respondents.
Cresente and Paulene Canada and Cemañes were arrested on the same day the warrant of arrest was issued while Roy and Ingrid Canada surrendered the following day. All five were released from detention after posting bail of P80,000 each.
Last April 11, a Pasig City RTC released a warrant of arrest against Quiboloy based on qualified human trafficking charges.
Last May 2, Dela Rey said that there is no let-up in the efforts of police in looking for Quiboloy but added that only his lawyers can answer whether he is still Davao. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
