Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday urged the Philippine National Police (PNP) leadership to ensure that their operations to find Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy are not being influenced by any of his allies.
In a statement, Hontiveros said she thinks that “there may have been a breakdown in PNP intel gathering” due to the continued failure of the police to locate and arrest the fugitive religious leader.
“I said so the moment PNP failed to locate Quiboloy’s whereabouts after the issuance of several warrants of arrest several months ago,” Hontiveros said.
“I am again calling on the PNP leadership to ensure that none of our officers are being influenced by Quiboloy or any of his allies, particularly former President (Rodrigo) Duterte,” she added.
Hontiveros also asked Duterte not to defend Quiboloy after the former president condemned the “excessive” force in serving the arrest warrant.
“Tumulong nalang siyang tumunton kung nasan ang kaibigan niya (He should just help in tracking down his friend),” she said.
On the other hand, Senator Robinhood Padilla suggested that law enforcers should not be “violent” or “hot-headed in dealing with Quiboloy.
“Relax lang tayo. Kasi alam nyo may bagay na nakukuha sa usapan, kailangan nating daanin sa usapan. Wag tayo masyadong marahas. Wag tayo masyadong mainit ang ulo (Let’s just relax. Because you know that there are things that can be talked through. Let’s not be too violent. Let’s not be too hot-headed),” Padilla said in an ambush interview.
