Former Senator and Police Chief Panfilo Lacson urged the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday to keep critical details of the search for Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo C. Quiboloy under wraps.

Lacson’s comments, shared on social media, came in the wake of a high-profile raid involving around 2,000 police officers that has intensified since August 24 at the sprawling 30-hectare KJC Compound in Davao City.

"As a former law enforcer, it is beyond my comprehension why the PNP keeps announcing to the public the progress of their search for Quiboloy," Lacson said.

He added: "Human or signal intelligence, and even the technical capability of their equipment, should be kept to themselves."

The PNP claimed that Quiboloy was still hiding in an underground bunker and that signs of life had been found in the area.

Quiboloy and five others are facing child abuse charges before a Davao City court. A court in Pasig City also issued an arrest warrant for him for alleged human trafficking.

For how long?

Meanwhile, Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte said on Monday that General Rommel Francisco Marbil and Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III led the PNP forces, which no longer followed the proper steps to carry out the order after a violent confrontation involving the PNP and KOJC members.

“We respect the implementation of any warrant of arrest if it is lawful. However, we have observed that the PNP, under the leadership of General Marbil and General Torre, no longer follows the rules of proper and legal filing of warrants, especially the use of force against innocent citizens and their unauthorized occupation of the KOJC compound,” the mayor said in Filipino.

He said he wanted to intervene, but the police would only listen to the PNP chief and their commander-in-chief,President Bongbong Marcos.

“We recognize the right of KOJC members to protest. However, I ask you to do this in a peaceful manner and avoid activities that will disturb the traffic for the safety of your companions and the public,” he added.

He assured Dabawenyos that the safety and security of Davao City will remain the priority of the local government.

“We will continue to maintain a peaceful community for all and will face any challenge in our city. This incident has already inconvenienced motorists, businesses, and the public. The public demands an answer from the PNP: How long do you plan to stay at the KOJC property?” Mayor Duterte said.

Vice President Sara Duterte and former president Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday slammed the police raid at the KOJCcomplex that resulted in the death of a 50-year-old vendor.

More or less 16 KOJC members were reportedly injured after police allegedly sprayed tear gas upon their entry into the complex. 

Sara sorry

In a statement on social media, the Vice President apologized to KOJC members for asking them to vote for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during the 2022 elections.

"That is why I also want to ask forgiveness from all the members, devotees, and people who make up the Kingdom of Jesus Christ for persuading and appealing to you to vote for Bongbong Marcos Jr. in 2022," the Vice President said.

Sara admitted she could not help but wonder "whether the use of extraordinary force to implement the warrant of arrest is because the accused is a known Duterte supporter."

She added that the takeover of the KOJC in Davao City was a "gross abuse of police power" in rendering Quiboloyan arrest warrant.

Although she does not object to the serving of any order of arrest, she said the "use of force" against innocent civilians and devotees of KOJC was never appropriate.

Apart from violating rights, she claimed the police betrayed the confidence Filipinos have in the institution.

“I vehemently condemn the gross abuse of police power in the takeover of the KOJC compound, which led to the harassment of religious worshipers, the abuse of minors, and the unnecessary loss of life,” Duterte said. 

“These acts are not only a blatant violation of Constitutionally-protected rights but a betrayal of the trust that we, Filipinos, place in the very institution sworn to protect and serve us,” she added.

More tragic state

In a separate statement on Sunday, former president Duterte and current KOJC property administrator criticized the most recent attempt to apprehend Quiboloy.

He earlier denounced the first raid on July 10.

The country, he said, has never been in a "more tragic state" as the laws of the government have trashed upon "rights."

Duterte expressed deep sympathy for the KOJC community, describing them as victims of "political harassment, persecution, violence, and abuse of authority." The incident, he remarked, casts a "dark stain" on the hands of those involved, particularly highlighting the leadership of Gen. Torre III.

He said this confrontation is emblematic of a broader concern that the Filipino people face—the misuse of authority by those who are sworn to protect and serve.

“We sympathize with the members of the KoJC for having become victims of political harassment, persecution, violence, and abuse of authority. This certainly puts a dark stain on the hands of those involved in today's incident, led by no less than the top police official of the region,” Rodrigo said.

He added: “Again, let us ask this administration how it can guarantee the preservation of the constitutional rights of our fellow Filipinos when even the most fundamental of these rights are being blatantly violated?”

Duterte's statement transcended political lines, appealing to all Filipinos, regardless of affiliation.

He urged the nation to unite in prayer for peace and justice, focusing on the unwarranted tension birthed by a climate of fear.

He also encouraged citizens to reflect on how the current administration can protect constitutional rights when fundamental liberties are overtly under threat.

Never right

Lawyer Angela Librado, Regional Director of the Department of Migrant Workers 11, said excessive force is unacceptable.

“There will always be different versions of the truth depending on the interests we seek to protect, but EXCESSIVE (use of ) FORCE is NEVER RIGHT. It is inherently wrong,” Librado’s Facebook post read.

Senator Ronald dela Rosa likened the restriction on people entering and exiting the KOJC compound to conditions reminiscent of martial law.

“Hindi makapasok ang gustong pumasok, hindi namakalabas ang gustong lumabas; aba'y martial law naiyan! Hindi na iyan tama. Ang trabaho nila diyan mag-serve ng warrant, ngayong na-serve na nila ang warrant at wala doon 'yung sini-serve nila, so i-return nila 'yungwarrant sa korte o ano pang next procedure na gusto nilang gawin, basta lisanin nila 'yung lugar. Bakit? Binayaran ba ni Torre ang lugar na iyan at siya na ang nagmamay-ari? Hindi na siguro tama iyan (Those who want to enter cannot enter, those who want to exit cannot; that's martial law! That's not right anymore.

Their job is to serve the warrant. Now that they have served the warrant and there is nothing they are serving, they will return the warrant to the court or follow whatever procedure they want to follow as long as they leave the place. Why? Did Torre pay for that place and own it? Maybe that's not right),” he was quoted in a media interview.

For Arian Jane Ramos, a law student at KOJC-run Jose Maria College Foundation, Inc., her school is a zone of peace.

“I am Arian Jane, an aspiring lawyer committed to justice and community service. I am a JMarian and I am proud of my school,” her Facebook post read.

“It should be free from the presence of armed combatants, whether they be from government forces or armed groups,” added Ramos, a former New People’s Army leader.