Quiboloy ‘armed and dangerous’
Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday urged the Philippine National Police (PNP) to revoke and cancel the licenses to own and possess firearms of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.
“Quiboloy is armed and dangerous. His armed soldiers are very much alive and ready to die for him. The PNP should confiscate those firearms at once,” Hontiveros said in a statement.
She made the statement after photos and videos circulated online of Quiboloy’s supposed private army training with firearms.
Last week, the PNP in a press conference said that Quiboloy, who had registered at least 19 firearms, could not be considered “armed and dangerous” because he had no previous record of violence or a record of employing private armed groups.
The remarks did not sit well with Hontiveros, who said the PNP “should do better.”
“Everyone on social media already knows that he has a private army, so why does it seem like they’re turning a blind eye? Quiboloy is a fugitive, so the PNP should not hesitate to confiscate his weapons,” the senator said.
She said the PNP should exhaust all efforts to finally pin Quiboloy down, especially since the Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader is now facing two warrants of arrest.
“I urge the new PNP chief, Gen. Rommel Marbil, to step up. There could be a failure of intelligence if it is taking this long to locate Quiboloy,” she said.
“Two warrants of arrest have been issued but he has not yet been arrested. Along with his private army, he is a threat to peace and order in the country,” she added.
Earlier this month, the Davao Regional Trial Court ordered the arrest of the religious leader and five others identified as Jackielyn Roy, Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Ingrid Canada and Sylvia Cemañes, for sexual abuse.
He, along with the others, is facing charges for violation of Republic Act 7610, the Anti-Child Abuse Law. They are specifically accused of the sexual abuse of a minor and maltreatment.
Quiboloy, whose whereabouts remain unknown, earlier admitted he was in hiding due to alleged threats to his life.
He attributed the threats to the United States government, which he said is being aided by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza AranetaMarcos. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation had investigated Quiboloy for sex trafficking, fraud, cash smuggling, among other charges, and recently issued a warrant for his arrest.
Last week, the Pasig City Regional Trial Court issued a warrant of arrest for him for human trafficking. He was charged along with five others with qualified human trafficking under Section 4(a) of Republic Act 9208.