New arrest warrant out as police continue search for Apollo Quiboloy

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – A regional court in Pasig City issued an alias warrant of arrest against fugitive preacher and Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy in connection with his human trafficking case, Police Davao Region chief Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III told a Senate panel on Tuesday, August 20.

An alias warrant is issued when the original warrant has not been served, usually because the suspect could not be found. It allows authorities to renew their efforts to apprehend the person, as in the case of Quiboloy and several of his KOJC associates.

The Pasig court first issued an arrest warrant against Quiboloy and five others – siblings Ingrid, Cresente, and Paulene Canada, Jackielyn Roy, and Sylvia Cemañes – in connection with a case for violation of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, a non-bailable offense. Of the six, only Paulene, the youngest of the Canada siblings, has been arrested so far.

Quiboloy has also been charged with sexual abuse of a minor, and his co-accused earlier posted bail in connection with their child abuse case.

Torre disclosed the second arrest warrant near the end of the hearing of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, after a KOJC minister, Carlo Catiil, sarcastically said the group would welcome the police with a “red carpet” if they searched for Quiboloy in their Davao compound legally.

During the resumption of the Senate inquiry into allegations of excessive police force during the June 10 search of the KOJC compound in Davao, Catiil said they were anticipating another police raid and sought assurance from authorities that the proper rules would be followed.

“When can we do this, sir?” Torre retorted, referencing Catiil’s offer of a “red-carpet” welcome. He said the police could do it immediately.

Senator Ronald dela Rosa, chairman of the Senate panel, reminded Catiil that his group was not in a position to say how or when the police should arrest Quiboloy and his co-accused.

Dela Rosa also told Torre that authorities could proceed with the operation as long as they had an alias warrant.

“You can do it as long as you have an alias warrant,” Dela Rosa said.

Torre responded, “We already have it, sir.” Moments later, he handed a copy to Dela Rosa, who then read the warrant, which listed addresses in Davao, Pasig, and “elsewhere” where the fugitive preacher could be hiding.

KOJC lawyer Israelito Torreon told the committee the police could only search the compound if they had a search warrant or consent from the property’s owner.

Eleanor Cardona, KOJC executive secretary, added that the police could only search areas within the KOJC properties specified in the search warrant.

The KOJC accused the police of using excessive force during simultaneous searches for Quiboloy in several of their properties in Davao, Samal Island, and Sarangani in June. They claimed the June 10 raids traumatized many members, and even led to the deaths of two people days later.

The religious group also accused the police of harassment, citing checkpoints near a KOJC property in Davao, alleged drone surveillance, and officers, including Torre, jogging near the compound.

Torreon told the committee the police supposedly violated rules when they searched the KOJC compounds on June 10 without a search order or alias warrant from a court. 

He argued that an alias warrant was required because authorities had already returned the original arrest warrant to the Pasig court on June 7, three days before the simultaneous raids. – Rappler.com