The Department of National Defense on Friday filed another comment-opposition against the motion of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader, Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, and his co-accused to be transferred to the custody of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. 

DND Legal and Legislative Affairs chief, Assistant Secretary Erik Lawrence Dy, reiterated that Quiboloy and his co-accused must remain under law enforcement agencies. 

Dy filed the DND’s first “comment opposition” against Quiboloy's motion on 10 September at the Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 159. 

In a short 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 and shall be judged under the jurisdiction of civil courts.

He noted that detaining criminal suspects is not included in the AFP’s General Courts Martial. 

“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 added. 

Citing security reasons and health conditions as grounds for transfer, Quiboloy’s camp earlier filed a petition to place the embattled religious leader and his co-accused on house arrest or under AFP custody. 

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