Quiboly must face the music

Pastor Apollo Quiboloy must face the music. Whether he likes it or not, the law's long arm will catch him sooner or later.

It will be in the best interest of his followers if he gives himself up to the authorities. It will also spare the government the hassle of arresting him. The effort to have him arrested has now run for days.

Yes, DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos is confident that the pastor is still inside the vast compound of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC). But it's one thing to be convinced; it's another to be persuasive.

What has also become visible in the ongoing efforts to find the pastor is the strong support of his followers. And I fully understand such sentiment.

Liberty is constitutionally protected. No matter how we view the members of the KOJC, all they are doing is exercising their right to believe.

There are those who think that the members are too gullible to believe Quiboloy’s claim that he is the appointed son of God. Well, practically all religions or denominations have claims that may be weird. This may partly explain why there are thousands of religious organizations. We cannot agree on so many things on religious points. And that is fine. The key is respect.

We have known from history how believers defend their faith and their leaders when called upon to do so. Locally, one can still recall how some members of a cult offered their lives when policemen served the warrant of arrest against their leader on a charge of parricide.

Religious followers have a stronger commitment compared to, say, political followers. Political groups can gather large people, yes, but usually through many gimmicks, accompanied by free meals and snacks. The same thing cannot always be said about religious gatherings. Committed followers are ready to die, thinking that heavenly rewards await them. And this kind of thinking is not exclusive to one religious group.

So, I bet that even if the government sends 10,000 police officers to arrest Quiboloy, such fact will not diminish his followers’ love for him, especially if they will soon think that the entry of the police into the compound becomes a desecration of what they consider hallowed ground.

But it is also a misplaced anger if people get angry with the 2,000 policemen who were deployed to arrest. They are just following orders. That they become objects of hate by some people is unfortunate and unfair.

Also, you may notice that there are those who call for the resignation of the president following the deployment of policemen to arrest Quiboloy, who is a well-known supporter of former president Rody Duterte. I don’t think this call will gather critical mass. You need a stronger reason or a more explosive issue to remove a president. Relying solely on Quiboloy’s arrest will not reach to a level that millions of Filipinos will pour into the streets to topple the current administration.

As I said, a more explosive issue will push people to take a more drastic action. This has been proven before, but it was the Roman Catholic Church that took the lead.