DAVAO CITY - With wanted religious sect leader Apollo Quiboloy still in hiding, a lawmaker urged the police to revoke all of his gun licenses and seize the weapons.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros urged the Philippine National Police to stop
justifying not revoking fugitive Quiboloy's license after the PNP said that
doing so is not in accordance with the law.
“Huwag nang magdahilan ang PNP. Kung talagang kasangga namin sila
sa pagpapanagot sa mga pambabastos ni Quiboloy sa ating mga institusyon, dapat
ginagawa nila ang lahat para mahuli siya. At isang mahalagang paraan ang
pagbawi ng mga armas, lalo na ng isang pugante," Hontiveros said.
She explained that the PNP's Implementing Rules and Regulations
(IRR) clearly state that for citizens with a firearms license, legal disability
- or the “the loss by the licensee of the legal qualification or capacity to
own and possess firearms in accordance with this Revised IRR” - includes the
"pendency of a criminal case with imposable penalty of more than 2 years.
“Sa dami at bigat ng pending cases ni Quiboloy, siguro naman pwede
nang bawiin ang mga armas niya. Sa kasong human trafficking palang,
non-bailable at lifetime imprisonment na ang parusa, kaya ano pa hinihintay ng
PNP? Nakapagtataka ang bagal,” Hontiveros asked.
She also expressed incredulity at the PNP admitting they are
unaware about Quiboloy's alleged private army. The senator shared screenshots
of social media posts circulating online showing Kingdom of Jesus Christ
members in camouflage uniform and bearing arms.
“Ang mga netizen alam na na may private army siya, tapos sarili
nating kapulisan, hindi alam? Imposible. Di ba dapat mas kapaki-pakinabang ang
intel unit niyo? Konting search lang sa social media, lumalabas na yan agad -
mga armadong sundalo na nagtetraining at ang mga caption tila may pagbabanta pa
sa sinumang lalapit sa poon nila. This is basic information,” Hontiveros said.
“I am again calling on the PNP Chief, Gen. Rommel Marbil, to lead
better. Quiboloy is a high-profile fugitive who must be apprehended. Baka kaya
ang lakas ng loob magtago ni Quiboloy dahil sa mga armas at baril na
pumoprotekta sa kanya. Trabahuin na ng PNP ang pagkansela ng mga armas niya.
Bilis-bilisan na,” she said.
Surrender peacefully
Just this month, Justice Sec. Jesus Crispin
Remulla urged the embattled Quiboloy - who is also wanted by the U.S. Federal
Bureau of Investigation - to surrender peacefully after a warrant for his
arrest was issued recently by a local court.
Remulla, in a directive from the resolution “AAA v. Quiboloy
et.al.”, issued on Mar. 5, said Quiboloy faces charges under Section 5(b) of
Republic Act No. 7610 (Other Sexual Abuse), focusing on the protection of
children against abuse, exploitation, and discrimination.
Remulla reminded the embattled doomsday preacher that no one is
above the law, even if one occupies an important position in his religious
organization. “Quiboloy cannot impose any conditions. He must surrender not
according to his terms but according to the terms of the law. The law applies
to all, without exception,” he said, adding the charges against Quiboloy are
not simple because they involve serious and morally abhorrent offenses such
as sexual assault of a minor and human trafficking.
Furthermore, additional charges under Section 10(a) of the same
act (Other Acts of Child Abuse) have been filed against Quiboloy, along with
Jackielyn W. Roy, Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Ingrid C. Canada, and Sylvia
Cemanes, aimed at safeguarding children’s psychological and emotional health.
The Davao City Prosecutor’s Office also endorsed a complaint for
Qualified Trafficking in Persons to the DOJ main office. Pursuant to Department
Order 144, the Task Force on Women and Children and Against Trafficking In
Persons was directed to prepare the necessary Information against the
respondents for the crime of Qualified Human Trafficking under Section 4 (a) of
Republic Act No. 9208, as amended, pursuant to the Resolution promulgated on
Mar. 5 by Remulla.
FBI
The FBI said Quiboloy is wanted for his alleged
participation in a labor trafficking scheme that brought church members to the
United States, via fraudulently obtained visas, and forced the members to
solicit donations for a bogus charity, donations that actually were used to
finance church operations and the lavish lifestyles of its leaders.
“Members who proved successful at soliciting for the church
allegedly were forced to enter into sham marriages or obtain fraudulent student
visas to continue soliciting in the United States year-round. Furthermore, it
is alleged that females were recruited to work as personal assistants, or
“pastorals,” for Quiboloy and that victims prepared his meals, cleaned his
residences, gave him massages and were required to have sex with Quiboloy in
what the pastorals called “night duty,” the FBI said.
It added that Quiboloy was indicted by a federal grand jury in
the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Santa
Ana, California, for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud
and coercion and sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force, fraud
and coercion; conspiracy; and bulk cash smuggling, and on November 10, 2021, a
federal warrant was issued for his arrest. (Mindanao Examiner)
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