No rights violations committed in KOJC raid — President Marcos

CEBU, Philippines — No human rights violations were committed during the police operations at the Kingdom of Jesus Christ compound in Davao City, President Marcos said yesterday, as he accused critics of politicizing the enforcement of the arrest warrant against KOJC leader Apollo Quiboloy.

Followers of Quiboloy, who has been charged with child and sexual abuse and qualified human trafficking, have slammed what they described as the excessive use of force in the implementation of the arrest warrant against their leader and has accused law enforcers of violating their rights.

According to the local police, which deployed about 2,000 personnel to enforce the arrest warrant, Quiboloy is likely hiding in an underground bunker up to 30 meters deep within the compound.

Speaking to reporters in Malacañang, Marcos disputed claims that the law enforcement operation at the KOJC compound was an overkill and had violated the rights of the group’s members.

“I don’t think so... The reason we did this was so that we could maintain the peace. The only way to maintain the peace is to make sure that the area is safe and is secure. And considering this is a 30-hectare compound, you really need a lot of personnel. You cannot do it with just a dozen police personnel,” the President said.

“You go to any human rights advocate, there’s nothing that we did (that violated human rights). All the police personnel who entered were not armed. Not one of them carried a gun. We did not use tear gas. We did not do anything like that. So what human rights violation?” he added.

Marcos said more KOJC members would have been hurt if fewer police personnel were sent to the compound.

“If it were fewer, more would have been hurt, more supporters of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ would have been hurt. Many policemen would be hurt because of the clashes. If many were deployed, the problem would be addressed immediately. So, that’s what we’ve done,” he said in Filipino.

“In the inspection of the 30 hectares alone, you would need a lot of personnel. So, I do not see, I think what they are talking about is political, that is not true,” the Chief Executive said.

Sen. Ronald dela Rosa yesterday appealed to