Kapa Ministry founder Apolinario arrested, two dead in Surigao raid

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) reported on Wednesday the arrest of the leader of KAPA Community Ministry International, who is facing syndicated estafa charges arising from an investment scam.

Joel Apolinario, founder and leader of K APA, was arrested along with 23 of his bodyguards on Tuesday on an isolated island resort at Sitio Dahican, Barangay Handamayan, Lingig, Surigao del Sur by teams from the Police Regional Office 13 (Caraga).

Apolinario’s arrest was disclosed by no less than PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa, who commended the operating teams from the Caraga police for bagging the fugitive suspect.

“The special directive came from President Rodrigo Duterte,” Gamboa said of the order to get Apolinario.

Gamboa said policemen from Caraga “have been monitoring the whereabouts of the suspect and his armed men since January this year,” adding the operation is also “pursuant to the PNP’S campaign against loose firearms as Apolinario was reportedly carrying unlicensed highpowered firearms and ammunition for his personal bodyguards.”

PRO 13 Director Brig. Gen. Joselito Esquivel Jr. reported to Gamboa that policemen engaged Apolinario and his men in a firefight during the service of the warrant of arrest.

Two of Apolinario’s bodyguards were killed in the firefight while another was reportedly wounded and brought to Bislig City District Hospital.

Esquivel said that numerous high-powered firearms were recovered during the operation, including 30 units of M-16 rifles, two M-4 rifles, a Garand rifle and three caliber 60 machine gun.

The operating teams also recovered a caliber 50 Sniper rifle, three caliber 22 rif les, a carbine, a shotgun, two RPGS, five .45 caliber pistols and assorted rounds of ammunition.

Early this month, the National Bureau of Investigation filed with the Department of Justice a criminal complaint against Apolinario and other leaders and members of K APA for eight counts of syndicated estafa and five counts of violation of the securities code.

The charges were the first to be filed against the leaders of the ministry, which the NBI said was engaged in investment scam and violated the Securities Regulation Code.

The NBI complaint said K APA has swindled people by way solicitation of in the guise of donations with a promise of perpetual monthly interest equivalent to “30 percent return or interest in the guise of ‘ blessings.’”