Fact check: Afghan refugees won't occupy KOJC compound

 MANILA, Philippines — Afghan refugees who will temporarily stay in the Philippines while awaiting permanent resettlement in the United States will not take over the Kingdom of Jesus Christ compound in Davao City, contrary to claims by TikTok and Facebook accounts supporting Apollo Quiboloy. 

CLAIM: 50,000 Afghans are set to "take over" the compound of KOJC, the church Quiboloy founded, before taking over the "entire Davao City."

RATING: This is false.

FACTS:

TikTok account "agilangdavao_2024" posted a static video on August 26 that quotes pro-Duterte vlogger Sass Sasot as saying: 

"First take over, KOJC compound. Then next, entire Davao City. The U.S. wants to establish a drone center in Davao City since 2013 pa. Mga Duterte ang balakid. If you don't take your city back Davaceños, it will be too late."

The video also includes a warning: "Act Now Before Its too late! ... 50,000 Afghans will arrive soon and they will take over the KOJC compound."

The text attributed to Sasot was lifted word-per-word from an August 25 post by the Facebook page "For the Motherland - Sass Rogando Sasot."
 
A screengrab of Sasot's statement as shown in the TikTok video was reposted by dozens of Facebook accounts that appear to support Quiboloy and/or oppose the Marcos administration's pro-United States policies from August 25 to September 8.

The number of Afghan refugees that the Philippines will temporarily host is not 50,000, as falsely claimed.

According to a Washington Post report, which cited unnamed US government officials, the actual number of Afghan applicants who will temporarily stay in the Philippines while waiting for their US visas is "about 300."

Meanwhile, a senior government official who spoke to the Associated Press on background said the number is "only 150 to 300" as part of a "one-time" deal. 

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) also said in a statement on August 20 that the agreement only covers "a limited number of Afghan nationals" who will stay in the Philippines for no longer than 59 days.  

"The Philippines and the United States have agreed on allowing a limited number of Afghan nationals to transit to the Philippines to complete their visa processing