‘Isang bala ka lang’

Just a few days ago (Sept. 13, 2024, Friday), self-proclaimed “Appointed Son of God” and “Owner of the Universe” Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) Pastor Apollo Quiboloy was finally brought to court. He was finally arrested just last Sunday (Sept. 8). Similarly, a few days before, on Sept. 4 (Wednesday), suspended Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo was arrested by Indonesian law enforcement and brought back to the Philippines to answer to the Philippine Senate for POGO-linked crimes such as human trafficking, money laundering, violence against women and children and torture.

Cynics say that the arrests of Alice Guo and Pastor Quiboloy, and its grabbing international news media headlines, amount to nothing but infamy for our country. However, I see this as an opportunity to prove ourselves and overcome challenges.

It’s a new opportunity for us to demonstrate that crime does not pay in the Philippines. No matter how seemingly powerful the personality, if there exists strong evidence of their crimes and other wrongdoings – and especially if it harms our children, our economy and our national security – then the Philippines can and will bring criminals to justice. Alice Guo and her associates are international in scope with Chinese financiers and “big bosses” having fled abroad, and linked to personalities involved with the notorious Pharmally.

On the other hand, the arrests present to us a challenge to vastly augment the abilities of our intelligence agencies. We must realize that these abhorrent criminal incidents involving transnational organized crime have highlighted the highly influential role of understated elements of our national security apparatus – intelligence networks, surveillance operations and its necessary interconnectedness with the international community. It includes the Intelligence Service, Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA).

The arrests of Alice Guo and Pastor Quiboloy would not have succeeded without intelligence agencies. The Philippines’ National Security Policy 2023-2028 recognizes the foundational role of intelligence operations. It states