The Department of National Defense (DND) stressed that the custody of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader, Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, and his co-accused must remain under the law enforcement agencies as their alleged crimes committed were not covered by the General Court Martial.

On Tuesday afternoon, DND Legal and Legislative Affairs chief, Assistant Secretary Erik Lawrence Dy, filed the department’s four-page “comment opposition” at the Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 159, in response to Quiboloy’s “very urgent motion to transfer” his custody to the Armed Forces of the Philippines. 

In an ambush interview, Dy explained that the allegations against Quiboloy and his co-accused, Jackielyn Roy, Sylvia Cemañe, Ingrid Canada, and Cresente Canada, were heinous crimes covered by civilian courts.

Thus, he said, “it is only appropriate that the custody of these accused remain with the law enforcement agencies and not with the military.” 

“Our AFP detention facilities are for military officers and personnel charged or convicted of service-related offenses under the jurisdiction of the general courts-martial,” he added, noting that the five accused were not members of the AFP. 

“The allegations against them are also not covered by the general court martial,” Dy further lamented.

According to the DND official, Quiboloy’s motion was filed earlier on Tuesday at the Pasig RTC Branch 159. 

Dy said Quiboloy’s camp also filed a similar motion at a court in Quezon City—which is subject to DND’s filing of another comment opposition on Wednesday.

“Again we are just looking at the legality of whether the transfer of his custody to AFP is possible, but again it's up to the court to decide,” he pointed out. 

So far, no court has yet to grant Quiboloy’s motion on whether for house arrest or his transfer to AFP custody. 

Quiboloy and his co-accused are currently detained at the Philippine National Police’s custodial center at Camp Crame in Quezon City.