10 million pesos offered for Quiboloy’s arrest

(UPDATE) A P10-million reward has been offered for the arrest of fugitive evangelist Apollo Quiboloy, wanted for child abuse and human trafficking, local government secretary Benhur Abalos said Monday.

A bounty of one million pesos was also offered for the arrest of Quiboloy’s co-accused, identified as Crisente, Paulene and Ingrid Canada, Sylvia Cemañes and Jackielyn Roy.

Abalos said the rewards were collected by individuals he declined to name.

He said donors were frustrated by Quiboloy’s continued ability to evade arrest and wanted to help.

Abalos called on Quiboloy to surrender, in order to prove his innocence of the accusations brought against him.

“What is happening is like our system of government is being trampled,” Abalos said in Filipino. “If you apply for a stoppage, they treat you like a bad guy. It’s simple. The law is the law, and the guilty must be held accountable, and that’s what we’re going to do to Pastor Quiboloy.”

“If you are not guilty, surrender. Is it so difficult to do? According to our information, he is still in the country,” he added.

On June 10, about 100 police officers raided the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KoJC) compound in Davao City to execute an arrest warrant against Quiboloy, but the fugitive pastor and his co-accused were nowhere to be found.

Quiboloy’s supporters, led by former President Rodrigo Duterte, used the raid to accuse the government of using excessive force to capture Quiboloy.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said it is gathering witnesses for obstruction of justice charges against the Quiboloy traffickers.

PNP chief Gen. Rommel Marbil noted that those hiding Quiboloy can be charged with obstruction of justice for harboring, concealing or facilitating the escape of any person whom he knows or has reasonable grounds to believe or suspect has committed an offense under existing criminal laws.

He said Duterte may bear some responsibility after he said he knew where Quiboloy was hiding.

Duterte was appointed as the new administrator of the properties owned by KoJC.

Quiboloy is wanted on three standing arrest warrants for sexual and child abuse issued by the Davao City Regional Court and for human trafficking issued by a Pasig City court. The cases are non-bailable.