“Authorities should spare no effort to arrest Quiboloy and bring him before a court of law as soon as possible and stop the colossal charade he has been foisting on the unsuspecting and the unwary to hide his criminal actuations”
AS WE write this, around 2,000 policemen have laid siege on the huge compound of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ in Davao City to arrest Apollo Quiboloy and five others for alleged criminal offenses.
The law enforcers believe he is now hiding in a secret bunker in the compound and it is just a matter of time before he is found and made to face the bar of justice.
But it is also possible that he could escape and thumb his nose at authorities, as he has hundreds of his followers trying to prevent the police from finding him.
The government has put up a P10 million reward for the arrest of the elusive Quiboloy who faces a string of criminal cases not only in the country but also in the United States.
Quiboloy’s arrest is being sought by the DOJ because he and five co-accused are facing a child abuse case before a Davao City court.
A Pasig City court has also issued an arrest warrant against him for human trafficking.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States also wants to get their hands on him to account for human trafficking and large-scale currency smuggling.
According to DOJ Undersecretary Nicholas Ty, the reward offer is legal under Philippine law.
He made a clear distinction between a bounty and a reward: “This is a reward, not a bounty. A bounty is for people who should be arrested because they are convicts of a crime or they have outstanding warrants of arrest. This reward covers many things, not just the arrest, but information on the whereabouts of the accused, including Pastor Quiboloy.”
The DOJ official explained that offering rewards to individuals who can give information leading a person’s arrest is legal.
Why is it legal?
Firstly, it is part of their job to uphold the law but this cannot be done if the accused is missing.
Moreover, our justice system clearly provides it is not illegal to offer rewards to locate those accused and bring them before the court.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government, for its part, also believes the cash reward and arrest warrant for Quiboloy are necessary to hold him accountable for the serious criminal charges filed against him.
The DILG says this is in line with their mandate to uphold justice for women and children.
“The DILG will never allow injustices to happen within our midst nor will we allow our children to become unknowing prey to sexual predators. Let the truth come out and justice be served,” it said.
Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos earlier announced the P10 million reward is being shouldered by “friends who would like to help in arresting” Quiboloy.
But he declined to name the donors, saying they had chosen to stay anonymous and were “frustrated about what’s happening” in the alleged rapist’s cases.
KOJC Executive Secretary Eleanor Cardona has questioned the P10-million “bounty” offered for Quiboloy’s arrest.
Cardona said: “Is it legal to put up a P10-million reward for someone’s capture? When you put a P10-million reward for someone who isn’t convicted by any court, it’s worse than being branded a terrorist or killer in the country.”
Quiboloy’s rabid followers conveniently forget that someone who claims to be the “Appointed Son of God” is a certified crackpot who deserves to be examined by experts from the National Center for Mental Health.
What’s unfortunate is the religious cult founded by an unsound mind has been able to recruit members who worship him and honestly believe their pastor is shepherding them toward the righteous path.
But the multiple criminal charges against Quiboloy here and in the US tell us very clearly that he has a criminal mindset and deserves to be punished instead of praised.
Quiboloy’s adamant refusal to surrender to authorities and answer the serious criminal charges lodged against him by our Department of Justice and its American counterpart reflects a brazen disregard for the rule of law and utmost contempt for our judicial system.
Apart from this, Quiboloy displays an arrogant, unholy and unchristian behavior for someone who claims to be the “Appointed Son of God.”
Authorities should spare no effort to arrest him and bring him before a court of law as soon as possible and stop the colossal charade he has been foisting on the unsuspecting and the unwary to hide his criminal actuations. (Email: [email protected])
