Duterte, Quiboloy's supporters file criminal raps vs Abalos, PNP execs

MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte and some supporters of doomsday preacher Apollo Quiboloy filed criminal charges against Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos and other officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

This was revealed by Abalos in a press conference at the Department of the Interior and Local Government on Monday, September 9, where the newly-arrested doomsday preacher Apollo Quiboloy and his co-accused were presented to the public a day after his arrest.

"Binantaan kami…maski magretire daw…katakot-takot na demanda ang ihaharap samin," Abalos said. (We were threatened... even if we retire... we will be faced with numerous lawsuits.)

Duterte filed two counts of Malicious Mischief under the Revised Penal Code. Among the respondents to the cases aside from Abalos, are PNP chief General Rommel Marbil and PNP Region XI chief Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III.

Quiboloy was the spiritual adviser to the former president while Duterte has been named the property administrator of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) last May.

A group of Quiboloy supporters also filed separate complaints under the Revised Penal Code: Articles 128 (Violation of Domicile), 132 (Interruption of Religious Worship), 133 (Offending the Religious Feelings) and 282 (Grave Threats).

Administrative complaints were also lodged against Abalos and the PNP officials for grave misconduct, grave abuse of authority and/or conduct unbecoming of a public officer.

All of these cases are separate from the writ of amparo filed by the preacher's "church", the KOJC, before a Davao City court.

Quiboloy surrendered to the intelligence unit of the Armed Forces of the Philippines on September 8 evening within the KOJC compound. He has been at large since April 2024.

In order to arrest Quiboloy, the police have surrounded his compound since the last week of August.

As of writing, the preacher and his co-accused is to be brought before the Regional Trial Courts of Pasig and Quezon City where charges of human trafficking and child, sexual abuses are lodged respectively.