By Jennifer P. Rendon
As tensions rise in the hunt for fugitive pastor Apollo Quiboloy and his four companions, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has alerted other regional offices to prepare their personnel for possible deployment to Davao City.
Brigadier General Jack Wanky, Western Visayas police chief, stated that the Police Regional Office (PRO) 6’s Civil Disturbance Management (CDM) contingent is being readied to augment the PRO-11 force.
Initially, PRO-6 has prepared 100 personnel from the CDM units of the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) and the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) for deployment to Davao.
“They are ready for deployment and can leave anytime today (August 26) once given the go signal,” Wanky said.
However, the region’s top cop mentioned that more personnel could be sent if needed.
“We have 200 reserved CDM personnel in case the initial number is insufficient,” he added.
Wanky explained that PRO-6 personnel, if deployed to Davao, would assist in crowd control duties.
“The PNP is simply being prepared in case the situation escalates. We can’t underestimate the followers of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC),” he said.
He further noted that additional personnel might be required to manage shift duties if the tension prolongs.
It was reported that around 2,000 police officers entered the KOJC compound on the morning of Saturday, August 24, to arrest Quiboloy. However, the KOJC leader remains at large.
Quiboloy is wanted for allegedly violating Republic Act 7610 (Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act) and RA 9208 (Qualified Human Trafficking).
A federal grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California has indicted him for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; conspiracy; and bulk cash smuggling.
Quiboloy went into hiding shortly after the Senate ordered his arrest for his continued refusal to attend the hearings.
