Quiboloy supporters push conspiracy: Afghan refugees to 'take over' KOJC compound

MANILA, Philippines — Supporters of Apollo Quiboloy and hyperpartisan accounts are spreading a false claim that the Marcos administration plans to house 50,000 Afghan refugees at the Kingdom of Jesus Christ compound in Davao City, alleging this is the real reason behind the arrest of its founder.

From August 25 to September 8, the same network of accounts that regularly criticize the Marcos administration for its pro-United States policies propagate the narrative that Afghan refugees would "take over" the KOJC compound after pastor Apollo Quiboloy's arrest. They tied this to a broader conspiracy that the US government wants to establish a military "drone base" in Davao City and has paid President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to allow it.

Most of the Facebook posts cited pro-Rodrigo Duterte vlogger Sass Sasot as their primary source by reposting or sharing her statement on the issue. Some accounts also reposted SMNI's videos showing police inside the KOJC compound, with captions claiming that Afghan refugees' "occupation" of the compound is underway. 

Philstar.com's analysis of at least 24 Facebook and YouTube posts shows that those amplifying the narrative mostly used alarmist language. They stoked fear about the arrival of Afghan refugees, warning that without action from locals, the entire city could soon be under foreign control, beginning with the KOJC compound.

The coordinated spread of this narrative, timed with the authorities' efforts to arrest Quiboloy, suggests it is part of a broader influence operation that Philstar.com is tracking across social media platforms, groups, and other online spaces.

The coordinated campaign to cast Quiboloy as a victim of foreign interference, distract from his legal issues and sow distrust in the police's operations inside the KOJC compound took shape after two videos, each uploaded on August 25 and 26, gained traction. 

What did these videos allege? "Global Talk News Radio," a YouTube channel within a broader network of accounts that push pro-China content among Filipinos, held a livestream on August 25 where two "analysts" claimed that the Afghan refugees' entry will be used to further US military interests in the Philippines.