Metro Manila, Philippines – Authorities have scoured nearly half of the sprawling 30-hectare Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound in Davao City in pursuit of wanted Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported on Friday, Aug. 30.
For a week now, the police have been trying to serve arrest warrants against Quiboloy for child and sexual abuse cases.
“May mga buildings pa po silang hindi na-i-inspect. Although ‘yung kanilang particular focus right now ay meron po, particularly in areas na meron po tayong nade-detect na human life underground,” PNP spokesperson PCol Jean Fajardo said in a press briefing.
[Translation: There are buildings that the police have not inspected yet. Although their focus right now is in areas where we detected human life underground.]
The police earlier said Quiboloy might be underground as they heard a heartbeat there from their equipment. But they are yet to locate the entry point.
“We are looking at an underground facility na [that is] made out of thick stones, thick metals at napakatigas po niyang mga ‘yan [and those are strong]. Itong [This] underground facility was built and made to withstand any man-made calamity or even natural-made disasters,” Fajardo explained.
She said authorities are staking out until they are satisfied that they have covered the whole compound.
Fajardo appealed to Quiboloy and his co-accused to spare KOJC members who have been defending them and, instead, resort to defending themselves at proper venues.
The police and KOJC members have clashed amid the operations, resulting in 60 cops and 26 civilians injured.
Almost 30 people, meanwhile, are facing obstruction of justice and/or direct assault cases.
A military contingent and police from other provinces have also been tapped to help the 2,000 personnel deployed in the operation.
NewsWatch Plus correspondent Daniza Fernandez contributed to this report.
