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'Season of tribulation': Quiboloy followers ready to face police complaints

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Karen De Guzman

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://news-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com/api/upload-raw/20240928070916/3c02602707de71488a77556ecadffd0c30aacdf4b7075000b9d18a899d66568f.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dii" alt="Authorities were taken by surprise ON Aug 25., 2024 when a huge number of members of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ blocked the national highway of Buhangin, Davao City. Supporters parked heavy equipment, a truck, and some cars while the supporters occupied all the lanes of the main highway. Ryan Evangelista, ABS-CBN News" style="width:960px"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Authorities were taken by surprise ON Aug 25., 2024 when a huge number of members of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ blocked the national highway of Buhangin, Davao City. Supporters parked heavy equipment, a truck, and some cars while the supporters occupied all the lanes of the main highway. <em>Ryan Evangelista, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Members of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) are preparing for charges that the police have announced they are readying in relation to the search operation at the religious group’s compound that ended in the arrest of Apollo Quiboloy, the KOJC leader facing abuse and trafficking cases in courts in Metro Manila.</p><p>KOJC lawyer Israelito Torreon said that he was only doing his job as the controversial pastor’s legal counsel.</p><p>“Pati ba naman disbarment case (Even a disbarment case)?” he said of the legal challenges that he and other KOJC members may face for what police said was obstruction of justice and harassment during the search operation.</p><p>“If they feel that I have to be disbarred in the practice of law, I will just answer it in the proper forum. I know that I just did my job pursuant to the best of my abilities and if they feel that I violated any of our codes of conduct, then so be it,” Torreon said.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/8/26/who-was-apollo-quiboloy-before-the-downfall-1027">READ: Who is Apollo Quiboloy?</a></div><div><strong>&#x27;MAKING OUR LIVES MISERABLE&#x27;</strong></div><p>He said that he feels the Philippine National Police is pursuing cases “to make our lives miserable” but said members of the religious group, who see Quiboloy as the appointed ‘Son of God’, will just defend themselves in court.</p><p>“May kanya-kanya kaming papel na ginagampanan (We all have different roles to play) and I do hope that after all the roles have have played out, everything will come together and we’ll work for the best on both camps,” he also said.</p><p>Criminal Investigation and Detection Group director Nicolas Torre III, who led the operation at the KOJC compound, said that the police are preparing to file charges of sedition, obstruction of justice, and direct assault against KOJC members who prevented them from from carrying out their duties.</p><p>“We’re just implementing a simple warrant of arrest. Pinigilan tayo, inassault ang mga tao natin, sinabuyan ng tae, may mga sinuntok,” Police BGen. Torre said, adding KOJC members also shouted at him for doing his job.</p><p>(They tried to stop us, assaulted our people and threw human waste at them. Some police officers were punched)</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/regions/2024/8/25/quiboloy-supporters-block-national-highway-in-davao-hold-protest-731">READ: Quiboloy supporters block national highway in Davao, hold protest</a></div><p>KOJC members and Quiboloy’s supporters also blocked a highway in Davao City in a “prayer rally” that reporters on the ground described as closer to a political protest that included calls for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to resign.</p><div><strong>MEMBERS OF MEDIA FILING COMPLAINTS</strong></div><p>Torre mentioned that some members of the media have already filed complaints with the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) for unjust vexation and physical injuries.</p><p>“‘Yan ay ino-organize at kino-consolidate ng PTFoMS natin, so may mga key personalities na tayo na na-identify at may mga complainant na rin na nag-file na… nakita ng mga journalist ay gumawa ng against sa kanila, excess kung anong allowed ng batas,” he added.</p><p>(That is what PTFOMs is organizing and consolidating. We have identified key personalities and we have people who have already filed complaints. The journalists witnessed these people treating them in excess of what is allowed by law)</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/9/27/new-cidg-chief-eyes-charges-vs-people-who-threatened-cops-families-826">READ: New CIDG chief eyes charges vs people who threatened cops&#x27; families</a></div><p>Members of the media who covered the search operations faced harassment from Quiboloy supporters, who accused them of bias and told them to leave. Videos from scene also showed people throwing plastic bottles and other items at vehicles carrying the news crews.</p><p>Torreon said Quiboloy’s arrest has led to a “season of tribulation” for the religious group. which claims a worldwide membership of around 6 million and that has been influential in local and national politics.</p><p>“Ako naman ay naniniwala (As for me, I believe) that justice will be served and all of these cases will soon meet its destiny at the trash can. All of these cases are only seasonal and the season of redemption, the season of vindication will soon arise,” he also said.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YHdHqPDrBZk?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>KOJC lawyer Israelito Torreon said that he was only doing his job as the controversial pastor’s legal counsel.</p>

KOJC lawyer Israelito Torreon said that he was only doing his job as the controversial pastor’s legal counsel.