Davao Region police chief says Quiboloy group using propaganda to mislead public

GENERAL SANTOS, Philippines – The top cop in the Davao Region urged the public not to be swayed by propaganda maneuvers of the group of fugitive preacher Apollo Quiboloy following the release on social media of an anonymous letter claiming to be from disgruntled cops.

Davao Region Police Director Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III said this and other social media pushes were out to divert attention from the fact that there was a lawful court order to bring Quiboloy to justice.

Torre said there were deliberate efforts to deceive the people from the real issue, which was Quiboloy must face his accusers, including those minors who allegedly were his victims.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, Torre told the public “not to believe in their (Quiboloy group) propaganda. Sila sila lang ang naguusap, kasama ang iilang trolls na nakikinabang sa patuloy na pananamantala ni Apollo Quiboloy. (Their group and some trolls are dictating the conversation and taking advantage of the abuse of Apollo Quiboloy.)”  

On Tuesday, an unsigned open letter to Torre and Philippine National Police chief General Rommel Francisco Marbil purportedly coming from disgruntled policemen involved in the operation at the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) made the rounds in social media.

The anonymous letter accused Torre and Marbil of being puppets and giving out politically motivated orders.

No millions

Torre said the group of Quiboloy claimed it had millions of followers worldwide, but where were these millions last Sunday night? The police official was referring to the 39th founding anniversary event of KOJC at its compound in Davao City.

“Hindi nga nila napuno ang plaza na sa aking pagtaya nasa 2,500 lang ang upuan,” he said. This is despite the fact it brought in people from Bukidnon and Surigao to attend that event, he added.

Even in its live broadcast, there were only 1,700 views from all over the world if indeed their audience were all over the world. “The eight million was not there,” he said.

Torre said he still believed the police has the full backing of the general public in what the authorities are doing, based on the social media comments and reactions of the public on mainstream media sites, “we have their overwhelming support.”

The public want the police to succeed through legal processes and not out of the court processes, said Torre. The first step in attaining justice is the peaceful surrender of Quiboloy, he added.

Rule of law

Reacting to calls by Quiboloy supporters for the police to uphold the rule of law in their operation to arrest the fugitive preacher, Torre said the same must also be addressed to KOJC members and lawyers.

In a session on Tuesday, Davao City councilor Luna Acosta, chairperson of Committee on Peace and Public Safety, said the police apparently failed to observe Article III Section 1 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

The provision states that “no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws.”

In his earlier pronouncements to address a similar concern, Torre said “how can justice be attained when the fugitive pastor insist on hiding and avoiding the law.”

Historic

He said what the police are doing in their operation will come down in history and be a basis for future steps and procedures in going after the likes of Quiboloy and his cohorts.

“Ibang iba ang ginagawa natin ngayon sapagkat  ito ay hindi basta trabaho lamang ng isang pulis o iilang pulis. Ito ay makasaysayan pagkat ginagawa natin ang mga bagay na maaring basehan ng mga dapat gagawin sa hinaharap (What we have been doing is no mere police work by one or several policemen. This is historic because what we are doing will be the basis of future police work),” he said.

Ako’y naniniwala na sinusuportahan tayo nga mamamayan. Huwag maniniwala sa propaganda (I believe we have the support of the public. Do not believe in propaganda), Torre said. – Rappler.com