THE PNP has received many tips on the supposed whereabouts of fugitive pastor Aoillo Quiboloy and five other leaders of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), following the P15 million bounty announced by Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr.
Abalos has said that private individuals have donated a P10 million reward for the arrest of Quiboloy and P1 million each for the the pastor’s five co-accused – Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Ingrid Canada, Jackielyn Roy, and Sylvia Cemanes.
PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said they have received many calls reporting the alleged location of the six fugitives, who are the subjects of warrants of arrest issued by the Davao and Pasig trial courts for child abuse and human trafficking charges.
The Senate has also issued a warrant of arrest against Quiboloy for refusing to cooperate in the Senate investigation on sexual abuse and human trafficking.
Citing information from Davao region police director Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, Fajaro said: “After the reward was announced, many gave information…Some called the (police) hotlines.”
Fajardo said the PNP is checking the veracity of the information they have received, saying that some of them might be meant to mislead policemen in their efforts to arrest the suspects.
“All these (information) will be subjected to validation and vetting process,” she said, adding: “We are determining which are prank calls, meaning (those which are) meant to mislead us. But definitely, all the information coming into our hotlines are being validated by the Regional Office XI (Davao region),” she said.
At the same time, Fajardo said the PNP is studying whether to offer its own reward for the arrest of Quiboloy and the other accused.
“That’s being studied by the PNP, the offering of reward with respect to this case. But this has to go through process in terms of auditing, budgetary rules and guidelines with respect to giving of rewards,” she said.
On reports that Quiboloy has allegedly already fled to China, Fajardo said the PNP believes on the contrary.
“There was no information provided by the Bureau of Immigration to confirm he has gone out of the country,” she said, even as she acknowledged that “there is a possibility he used the backdoor.”
“All these (information) will be verified…But as we speak, we believe, there are indications that the person we are trying to find is still here (in the Philippines),” she said.
President Marcos on Wednesday told Quiboloy to come out of hiding and face the complaints that have been filed against him.
The President likewise defended the P15 million reward offered by private individuals, saying there was nothing wrong with the private sector helping the government run after fugitives.
Meanwhile, Fajardo said the PNP is continuing with its investigation to determine if charges of obstruction of justice should be filed against former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Last Monday, PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil said the PNP is looking into the possibility of filing the case against Duterte.
Marbil’s remarks came after Duterte said that he knew where Quibiloy is hiding but woulld not say where because Quiboloy does not want to surrender.
On Tuesday, former presidential legal adviser Salvador Panelo said Duterte’s remarks on Quiboloy’s whereabouts was only a joke intended to make reporters laugh.
Fajardo said the PNP will continue with its investigation to determine if the former President was indeed making a joke.
“I understand, there are also some efforts being extended to reach out to our former President to ask him what is his intention if making that statement,” said Fajardo.
“Was it really a joke or he really knows something. If he knows something, that that will suffice to charge him with obstruction of justice,” added Fajardo.
