Arrested or voluntarily surrendered? Here's what we know about Apollo Quiboloy being taken into custody
How did authorities take into custody Apollo Quiboloy, the fugitive leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC)?
The wanted pastor, who allegedly committed several crimes against his church members including sexual abuse and coercion, went into hiding and later sparked a two-week manhunt.
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Benhur Abalos, in a Facebook post on Sept 8 at 6:23 p.m., broke the news by writing, "Nahuli na si Pastor Quiboloy!"
Abalos, who's in Dubai at the moment, accompanied his post with a selfie of Quiboloy and two men.
But Quiboloy's legal counsel Ferdinand Topacio, in a statement said his client "voluntarily surrendered" to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)'s Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces (ISAFP) unit.
"He was not arrested, especially not by the Philippine National Police (PNP) under the DILG," Topacio said before taking a swipe at Abalos.
"Therefore it is epal to the highest level for Sec. Abalos to be seemingly taking credit for the non-existent arrest," he said.
Topacio said Quiboloy's legal team "shall continue to protect his rights under the Constitution and the laws as we prepare for his defense."
PNP spokesperson Jean Fajardo, in a press conference at Camp Crame in Quezon City where Quiboloy had been brought, said the church leader was given an ultimatum within 24 hours. If he didn't do so, authorities would have entered the KOJC compound in Davao City.
“Kanina pong mga bandang 1:30 ng hapon ay nagkaroon ng negosasyon para po sa mapayapa po nilang pagsuko," Fajardo said, adding that it's a "joint effort" between the PNP and the AFP.
Quiboloy then turned himself into the ISAFP at around 5:30 p.m. KOJC members Jackielyn Roy, Ingrid Canada, Crisente Canada, and Syliva Cemañes were also with him.
They were flown out of Davao City at around 6:30 p.m. and arrived at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay at around 8:30 p.m.
They were taken to Camp Crame at around 9:10 p.m. and were booked.
"So, binasahan po sila ng mga kaso po nila at nakaharap po ang kanilang abogado," Fajardo said, noting that Quiboloy is facing three charges related to child abuse, sexual abuse, and qualified trafficking.
Fajardo said other members' blood pressure shot up during the examination.
"Pero other than that, okay naman po sila at tuloy-tuloy po ‘yung processing,” she said.
Fajardo didn't give other details about Quiboloy's surrender and location at the time.
"Ang importante po sa ngayon ay nasa kustodiya na po ng PNP po ito," she said, adding that the warrants of arrest will be returned to the issuing courts on Sept. 9.
Fajardo didn't say where Quiboloy and others will be detained, but would most likely be in separate units.
"Habang ongoing po 'yung negotiation, pinagplanuhan na rin po kung saan-saang selda po sila mapupunta," she said. "Mabibigay po kami ng additional details as we go along."
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. commended the PNP for the apprehension of Quiboloy on Sept. 9 and gave an explanation as to why the fugitive pastor surrendered to the AFP.
"Ganyan naman talaga. Madalas naman mangyari 'yan na may augmentation sa AFP. But let's be very clear, this was a police-led operation. Kung ano man ang involvement ng AFP diyan, as I said, augmentation," he told members of the media.
"All through these past months, all the intelligence services were involved. Both in the police, AFP, even our civilian intelligence services, kasama lahat 'yan para malaman natin ano dapat gawin at anong movements ang attributed to Apollo Quiboloy."
Marcos added that soldiers were sent to relieve the policemen who stormed the KOJC compound in August. "That's just standard procedure."
Last April, courts in Davao and Pasig issued arrest orders against Quiboloy and his associates for sexual abuse of a minor, child abuse, and qualified trafficking.
Authorities tried to look for Quiboloy and others at the KOJC compound and his other known properties but failed.
A Senate committee headed by Sen. Risa Hontiveros also issued an arrest order against Quiboloy after he refused to attend Senate hearings on his alleged crimes.
During the hearings, KOJC members came forward with stories of abuse, including minors being forced to give sexual services to Quiboloy. They were also allegedly coerced to beg for money from strangers.
Quiboloy has since maintained that the cases filed against him are trumped up. He also claimed that there were threats to his life while he was in hiding.
On Aug. 24, around 2,000 policemen went to the KOJC compound before daylight to try to arrest Quiboloy.
But KOJC supporters went to the streets in the afternoon, protesting what they called a "siege" until Aug. 26.
Quiboloy is also wanted by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for his alleged participation in a labor trafficking scheme that brought his church members to the US through fraudulently obtained visas. He also allegedly forced the members to solicit donations for a bogus charity and donations that were used to finance church operations and the lavish lifestyles of its leaders.
In 2021, he was indicted by a US grand jury for child sex trafficking and coercing young women and girls to have sex with him under "threats of eternal damnation."
