Quiboloy camp surrenders 5 guns

MANILA, Philippines — The camp of fugitive Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder Apollo Quiboloy has surrendered five of the 19 firearms registered under his name.

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said Quiboloy’s representatives turned over four handguns and a long firearm.

“Iba-ibang kalibre ito... Sana itong gesture na ito na pakikiisa sa batas ay tuloy-tuloy na,” Abalos said in an interview at Camp Crame.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil said the firearms were turned over to the Civil Security Group’s field office in Davao City yesterday morning.

Marbil said Quiboloy’s representatives promised to surrender the preacher’s remaining firearms.

Last month, the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) recommended the revocation of Quiboloy’s licenses to own and carry firearms.

The FEO gave Quiboloy six months to turn over his guns after it revoked his firearms licenses following a review by the police legal service.

The agency cited a provision under Republic Act 10591 or the  Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition, which states that a person can lose his gun license and registration for facing charges punishable with imprisonment of more than two years.

Quiboloy and five of his followers are facing charges of qualified human trafficking, which carries a penalty of life imprisonment, aside from child sex abuse cases.

Marbil said Quiboloy, who has arrest warrants from courts in Davao and Pasig, should surrender and face the charges filed against him.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros welcomed the surrender of five of Quiboloy’s guns, but questioned the ”double standard” of the FEO for the six-month deadline it gave the pastor  to turn over his firearms.

”Unregistered firearms should be immediately surrendered, (and the owners) not given half a year to comply,” Hontiveros said.

Quiboloy’s legal counsel Israelito Torreon said the 14 other guns under the preacher’s name were ”validly disposed of or duly transferred in other people’s names.”

Torreon said documents related to the transfer of ownership of the guns have been submitted to the FEO. –  Marc Jayson Cayabyab