PNP: Quiboloy, cohorts hiding below ground

AUTHORITIES have detected heartbeats from a supposed underground bunker inside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound in Davao City where fugitive religious leader Apollo Quiboloy and his co-accused are believed to be hiding.

Maj. Catherine Dela Rey, spokesperson of the Davao police regional office, said the heartbeats of people were detected by a life-detector device the PNP has been using in its ongoing search of the 30-hectare compound.

“As of now, we are just looking for the entrance to the bunker… We used a life detection device, and we detected heartbeats underground,” Dela Rey told a radio interview in mixed English and Filipino.

“Hopefully, we can find the bunker entrance today…There are confirmed heartbeats underground. The heartbeats, detected by the device, came from many people,” she also said.

In a press briefing at Camp Crame, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said the bunker is believed to be 20 to 30 meters from the ground.

“We detected signs of life. That is where we are concentrating,” said Fajardo, referring to the area inside the compound where they detected the underground bunker.

“Without giving specifics, that’s (area) the concentration of the search because our ground-penetrating radar found signs of life underground,” said Fajardo.

Dela Rey expressed confidence that the fugitive pastor and his co-accused are hiding inside the bunker.

“We’re very positive of the information that we received that Quiboloy and his companions are inside the KOJC compound,” she said.

Police officials have earlier said they have information about the presence of underground tunnels and ground compartments inside the KOJC compound where the religious leader may be hiding.

Quiboloy is facing charges for alleged violation of Republic Act 7610, or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act, before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court.

He is also facing a non-bailable qualified human trafficking charge before a Pasig court.

Quiboloy was also indicted by a California court in 2021 for allegedly conspiring to engage in sex trafficking and has an active arrest warrant in the