FRISKED. A video of a female cop being frisked by Kingdom of Jesus Christ members, is shown during the Senate public hearing in Davao City on Friday (Sept. 6, 2024). Philippine National Police-Davao Region Director Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III said they had to endure such humiliation to start their search for Pastor Apollo Quiboloy. (Screengrab from Senate livestream)
MANILA – Unarmed Philippine National Police (PNP) lady officers were body-searched by members of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) before they began looking for Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, PNP-Davao Region Director Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III said on Friday.
During the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights public hearing, chaired by Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, in Davao City, Torre said they allowed it after a negotiation with the lawyers of the KOJC on the first day of the search for Quiboloy and five others on Aug. 24.
The KOJC founder and his aides are wanted for qualified human trafficking and violating the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act.
"During the negotiation, the lawyers did not allow the PNP personnel to go immediately. They only agreed to specific conditions: 10 women personnel and they are to be frisked," Torre told the committee while showing a video of KOJC members frisking cops.
"We had to endure that kind of humiliation kasi mag-aaway lang kami, Sir, kapag hindi namin sinunod yan (because we will only quarrel with them if we do not follow)," he added.
Torre also showed a video of how they searched the rooms inside the ACQ (Apollo C. Quiboloy) College of Ministry Building, saying the 10 women officers could not do their job properly with KOJC members "swarming, leading, and prohibiting" them from opening some rooms.
KOJC legal counsel Israelito Torreon said the videos presented by Torre were on the ninth day of the search.
"They have already been conducting searches in that area, your honor. I don't know why they like that area very much, the Bible School. Since Day 1, that has been searched already many times," Torreon said.
Dela Rosa castigated Torre for allowing the 10 women officers to do the search without their firearms.
"If your purpose there in going inside is to arrest Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, you allow only 10 women without firearms, finrisk pa ng mga taga-KOJC, paano ngayon kung may mga armas si Pastor (Quiboloy) doon sa loob at niratrat yung mga pulis mo? Payag ka na mamatay 'yung mga sampu mong pulis (who were also frisked by KOJC members, what if Pastor [Quiboloy] had weapons inside and opened fire at your policewomen? Will you allow 10 of your policewomen to die)?" Dela Rosa asked Torre.
Torre responded: "That's one of the risk(s) that we have to take, Sir."
"For me, if I am the commander, that's a very wrong decision kung mag-aresto ka, babae pa ang ginagamit mo, walang armas, sampu lang tapos. Hindi mo na-imagine (it was a very wrong decision to send 10 unarmed policewomen to arrest someone. Did you not imagine that)?” Dela Rosa said.
"I take responsibility for that, Sir," Torre answered.
No retreat
Dela Rosa advised Torre to have a tactical or strategic retreat as the continuing search, now on its 15th day, has affected the lives of the people inside the compound as well as the thousands of learners of Jose Maria College.
“If you leave the premises, the lives of the members of KOJC and the police will be back to normal. We are permitting you in striking back if you have reliable information that pastor is there, you get inside [the compound] and arrest him,” he said.
He said if Torre will not order a retreat, they should prepare for whatever cases the KOJC will file against them.
Torre was adamant that they will continue exploring where Quiboloy is possibly hiding.
“We will continue exploring that place and we will cordon it again as the need arises,” he said in an interview after the hearing.
The public hearing was conducted in response to the privilege speech delivered by Dela Rosa expressing concern over the deployment of 2,000 police officers from various regions across Mindanao and their decision to station themselves in and out of the KOJC compound in Davao City.
Dela Rosa, a former PNP chief, criticized the excessive deployment of cops to arrest Quiboloy, disrupting the activities of the KOJC and the Davao City community.
He also noted the absence of a search warrant.
Appeal to Marcos
Dela Rosa then appealed to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to intervene and order the police to cease their operations.
“I am appealing to you, Mr. President, to act on this. This is just an appeal, I hope you are listening,” Dela Rosa said.
Torre said the only agreement he wanted with KOJC lawyers after the hearing was for Quiboloy to surrender.
“There’s only one thing we should agree on: They surrender Apollo Quiboloy. It is very simple. That is the end to everything,” he said. (PNA)
