Some might wonder why it took some time for the authorities, particularly the members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and even members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), to finally force the hand and compel Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy to surrender himself to them. Some might even think that the delay of Quiboloy’s surrender has to do with attempts to negotiate some sort of deal that would benefit the self-proclaimed “son of God.”
But what really stands out in the temporary stand-off that happened inside the sprawling compound of Quiboloy in Catitipan, Buhangin, Davao City is the fact that when the court issues an order to secure the person of an individual, the authorities are compelled to enforce them. And political ramifications notwithstanding, the law itself as utilized by the courts serves as a forceful impetus for its compliance.
In the days that followed after his ‘surrender’ or arrest, Quiboloy has seemingly gained celebrity status not from his followers and supporters, but in the way he was treated right after he was placed in the custody of the government. This is evident when Quiboloy was transported by plane out of Davao to Metro Manila. This was done in secrecy that, allegedly, not even PRO 11 Chief Police Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III, who was the ground and lead commander for the operation to arrest Quiboloy, or the more than 2,000 PNP and military personnel tasked to do the groundwork, were aware or had an inkling that the “son of God” was ready to surrender or be arrested for the alleged crimes he had committed.
Not only that, but when Quiboloy was finally processed, with his mugshot and fingerprint taken at Camp Crame, he was granted the consideration of having his faced or image blurred, and allowed to wrap himself in clothing that would mask his features, making him practically indistinguishable from his other supporters who were also arrested when they were finally presented to the public and the media. For what it’s worth, photos showing Quiboloy being processed sans any blurring effects were later posted on social media and news websites.
However, the real concern at the moment, which again involves the courts and the law, is the matter of where the arrested pastor and his cohorts are supposed to be temporarily detained before their scheduled appearance in court. This is because when the PNP finally secured the person of Pastor Quiboloy, he was declared to be detained temporarily in the custodial facility of the PNP at Camp Crame.
According to the police, this is ostensibly to ensure the safety of the pastor from any external threat. But the court, specifically the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 106 in the sala of Judge Noel Parel, issued an order last September 9, 2024, directing the transfer of the evangelist and his other co-respondents from the custodial center of the PNP to the Quezon City jail.
Here, the PNP seemingly balked at the idea of transferring the evangelist to a regular jail, and PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo came out with a statement to the media that they, the PNP, do not want to risk moving Quiboloy to a jail in Quezon City where they do not have any control, and that they want to harmonize first all the orders issued by the courts before they will act on them.
Of course, it goes without saying that the PNP is considered as an agent of persons in authority and it is in the business of implementing lawful orders, directives and edicts issued by the courts whose judges are persons in authority. Obviously, one who is an agent of a person in authority is someone who acts only on behalf of a person in authority who issues an order for that agent to act upon. So, compliance is the keyword here, and again, it must be emphasized that the order of the court for the transfer is a lawful order and not an illegal one.
If the PNP will insist that evangelist Quiboloy is to remain in their custodial center inside Camp Crame in disregard of the court order for his transfer, then the suspicion might arise that he continues to be given and receive preferential treatment from the authorities who placed him in custody.
President Bongbong Marcos himself has placed emphasis that, the manner of the taking into custody of KJOC Quiboloy, the rule of law was stringently followed right down to the letter. It behooves, therefore, the PNP to follow suit and immediately comply with the order of the court for the transfer of the evangelist to a regular jail while he awaits his scheduled arraignment and thus avoid the suspicion that he is being given special treatment while in detention.
