UNARMED Philippine National Police (PNP) female cops were body-searched by members of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) before they began searching for Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, PNP 11 (Davao Region) Director Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III said Friday.
During the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights public hearing held in Davao City, Torre said they allowed it to happen after a negotiation with the lawyers of the KOJC on the first day of the search for Quiboloy and five others who are accused of qualified human trafficking and violating the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act.
“During the negotiation, the lawyers did not allow the PNP personnel to go immediately. They only agreed to specific conditions: 10 women personnel and they are to be frisked,” Torre told the committee while showing a video of KOJC members frisking cops.
“We have to endure that kind of humiliation kasi mag-aaway lang kami, Sir, kapag hindi namin sinunod yan.” he added.
Torre also showed a video of how they searched the rooms inside the ACQ College of Ministry Building, saying the 10 policewomen could not do their job properly with KOJC members “swarming, leading, and prohibiting” them from opening some rooms.
KOJC legal counsel Israelito Torreon said the videos presented by Torre to the panel were on the ninth day of the search.
“They have already been conducting searches in that area, your honor. I don’t know why they like that area very much, the Bible School. Since Day 1, that has been searched already many times,” Torreon said.
Meanwhile, Senator Ronald Dela Rosa criticized Torre for allowing the 10 policewomen to do the search without bringing their firearms.
“If your purpose there in going inside is to arrest Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, you allow only 10 women without firearms, finrisk pa ng mga taga-KOJC, paano ngayon kung may mga armas si Pastor (Quiboloy) doon sa loob at niratrat yung mga pulis mo? Payag ka na mamatay yung mga sampu mong pulis?” Dela Rosa asked Torre.
Torre responded, “That’s one of the risk(s) that we have to take, Sir.”
“For me, if I am the commander, that’s a very wrong decision kung mag-aresto ka, babae pa ang ginagamit mo, walang armas, sampu lang tapos. Hindi mo na-imagine (it was a very wrong decision to send 10 unarmed policewomen to arrest someone. Did you not imagine that)?” Dela Rosa said.
“I take responsibility for that, Sir,” Torre answered.
The public hearing was conducted in response to the privilege speech delivered by Dela Rosa expressing concern over the deployment of 2,000 police officers from various regions across Mindanao and their decision to station themselves inside and outside the KOJC compound in Davao City.
Dela Rosa, a former PNP chief, criticized the excessive deployment of PNP personnel to arrest Quiboloy, disrupting the activities of the KOJC and the Davao City community.
He also noted that KOJC members were claiming that the search of their compound was illegal as no search warrant was issued.
They asserted that the PNP’s actions within the compound were unlawful and unconstitutional as the police had no valid search warrant. (PNA)
