Quiboloy did not voluntarily surrender, says Marcos

MANILA, Philippines — Doomsday preacher Apollo Quiboloy did not voluntarily surrender to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) but was forced to come out as the police were closing on him, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Monday, September 9. .

“Ang sabi niya (Quiboloy) 'yung mga followers niya, magpapakamatay para sa kanya at ayaw niyang mangyari ‘yon,” Marcos said in an ambush interview with the members of the press.

(He said his followers are willing to die for him and he doesn't want that to happen.)

Marcos said that the operation was more of a “police action” and was only augmented by the military to give relief to the Philippine National Police (PNP), who had been outside the Quiboloy-owned Kingdom of Jesus Christ compound since the last week of August. 

“This is how it should be done, you can do this without hurting anyone, you can do this without shooting anyone. That is what police work is meant to be and this is police work at its best,” Marcos said. 

On Sunday, one of Quiboloy’s lawyers, Ferdinand Topacio, said that the preacher was not arrested by the police but instead surrendered to the AFP’s intelligence unit. 

He was in police custody at 5:30 p.m. and was flown to Manila an hour later, according to PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo. 

Marcos also emphasized that Quiboloy will not get special treatment.

“We now leave Mr. Quiboloy to the judiciary,” Marcos said. 

“We will treat him like any other arrested person and we will respect his rights,” he added.

The preacher was at large since April 2004 after a Davao court issued a warrant of arrest for alleged child and sexual abuse. 

Aside from the standing cases in local courts, the preacher also faces several charges before the courts in the United States.

The charges against the self-proclaimed “appointed son of god” can be read here.