Why give special treatment to Quiboloy

By Rose de la Cruz

When a suspect is arrested by the police, the usual procedure is inquest by a fiscal who decides whether or not to elevate the case in court. The arrest of fugitive pastor Apollo Carreon Quiboloy should not be any different from this procedure, otherwise this would mock our justice system. And if the court decides the facility where the suspect should be kept, then that decision must be followed.

But in Quiboloy’s case the QC Regional Trial Court already ordered the transfer of Quiboloy and his five co-accused for child abuse and many other crimes to the city jail, but the Philippine National Police insists on detaining them in the PNP Custodial Center, citing another court order friin Pasig City.

The Quezon City court already ordered the transfer of Quiboloy to the city jail, but the Philippine National Police wants to detain him– so they get continuing publicity for his detention there– even as the Quiboloy camp wants him kept at the Department of National Defense, which the latter bluntly rejected.

QC RTC Judge Noel Parel directed the PNP to transfer and commit Quiboloy and Cresente Canada to the New Quezon City Jail along Payatas Road in Bagong Sila and to  transfer Jackielyn Roy, Ingrid Canada, and Sylvia Cemañes to the Quezon City Jail Female Dormitory in Camp Caringal.

They will be brought back to court on September 13 for their arraignment and pre-trial via videoconferencing hearing.

The five are accused of “other acts of abuse” under Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.

The Inquirer said Quiboloy surrendered to authorities on Sunday after being holed up for two weeks in the sprawling compound of his Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) sect. He and Sylvia Cemañes, Jackielyn Roy and Ingrid, Paulene and Cresente Canada face charges of sexual abuse of minors and maltreatment before Branch 106 of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court.

Paulene Canada was arrested in July in Davao City, where she remains detained

All six are also charged with the non bailable offense of qualified human trafficking before Branch 159 of the Pasig City Regional Trial Court.

Quiboloy was also indicted in 2021 by a federal grand jury in California for various sex trafficking charges, including sex trafficking of children, as well as conspiracy and bulk cash smuggling.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has a standing warrant for his arrest posted on its website. The US government has yet to formally seek his extradition.

Judge Noel Parel of the Quezon City court, in an order dated Sept. 9, directed the PNP to “transfer and commit” Quiboloy and Cresente Canada to the New Quezon City Jail in Barangay Bagong Silangan, and Cemañes, Roy and Ingrid Canada to the female dormitory of the old city jail at Camp Karingal in Diliman.

At the Pasig RTC, Quiboloy’s lawyer Israelito Torreon on Monday asked that his client either be placed under house arrest or transferred to the custody of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, citing security and health concerns. So why the special treatment?

President Marcos earlier said Quiboloy had lost trust in the police because of their search operation at the KJC compound in Davao City and the ensuing two-week standoff with his followers.

But DND on Tuesday filed a motion before the Pasig court opposing Torreon’s petition.

“The allegations against the accused are heinous crimes covered by our civilian courts. It is only proper that the accused remain under the custody of law enforcement agencies and not with the military,” Assistant Secretary Erik Dy of DND’s Legal and Legislative Affairs told reporters after filing the motion, Inquirer added.

Dy said Quiboloy and his co accused are not members of the military and thus not covered by the general court-martial.

PNP spokesperson, Col. Jean Fajardo explained PNP’ s stand on keeping Quiboloy as: “We don’t want to run the risk of transferring them to Quezon City [since] they might post bail. The PNP has no control over there.”

Fajardo said the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group will also submit its legal position to keep custody of Quiboloy and his co- accused. Their arraignment is scheduled on Sept. 13, 8:30 a.m.

A pretrial “via teleconference” is also scheduled that morning, but it is not clear why that proceeding will be held online, despite all six accused being directed to appear in court. The Pasig court has scheduled the arraignment of Quiboloy and other accused for Friday.

The five suspects have been detained at the PNP custodial center since Sunday. They were transported there shortly after their arrest in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ compound in Davao City.

The KOJC founder is also facing a case for qualified human trafficking, a non-bailable charge.