Quiboloy did not voluntarily surrender, says Marcos
MANILA, Philippines — Doomsday preacher Apollo Quiboloy did not voluntarily surrender to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) but was forced to come out as police closed in on him, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Monday, September 9.
“Ang sabi niya (Quiboloy), 'yung mga followers niya, magpapakamatay para sa kanya at ayaw niyang mangyari ‘yon,” Marcos said in an ambush interview with the press.
(He said his followers were willing to die for him, and he didn’t want that to happen.)
Marcos described the operation as primarily a “police action,” with military support provided to relieve the Philippine National Police (PNP), who had been surrounding the Quiboloy-owned Kingdom of Jesus Christ compound since the last week of August.
“This is how it should be done—you can do this without hurting anyone, you can do this without shooting anyone. That is what police work is meant to be, and this is police work at its best,” Marcos said.
On Sunday, one of Quiboloy’s lawyers, Ferdinand Topacio, claimed the preacher was not arrested by the police but had instead surrendered to the AFP’s intelligence unit.
PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said Quiboloy was in police custody by 5:30 p.m. and was flown to Manila an hour later.
No special treatment
Marcos also stressed that Quiboloy will not receive any special treatment.
“We now leave Mr. Quiboloy to the judiciary,” Marcos said. “We will treat him like any other arrested person and respect his rights."
The preacher had been at large since April 2004, following a warrant of arrest issued by a Davao court for alleged child and sexual abuse.
In addition to the cases pending in local courts, Quiboloy also faces several charges in the United States.
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The complete list of cases against the self-proclaimed “appointed son of god” can be read here.
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