Former president Rodrigo Duterte has come under fire for taking up the cudgels for Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KoJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy following what he called a "violent confrontation" between the members of the religious group and the authorities in an attempt to serve the arrest warrant against the fugitive pastor.
Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., chairperson of the House Committee on Human Rights—a member of the quad comm which is investigating the alleged crime against humanity of the previous administration—found Duterte's remark against the Philippine National Police "ironic" given his brutal approach to the drug war that resulted in the killings of over 7,000 individuals.
"It is ironic that today former president Rodrigo Duterte is speaking out in defense of the rights of his friend when he attached very little value to human rights during his administration's war on illegal drugs," Abante said on Sunday.
Abante pointed out that if only Duterte had given due importance to human rights during his term, "then we would not have to investigate the thousands of extrajudicial killings that occurred during his presidency's war on drugs."
Abante's statement was in response to the erstwhile president's allegation that the KoJC members have become victims of "political harassment, persecution, violence, and abuse of authority" of police officials of the region, who "forced their way" into the KoJC compound that fallout in the death of the sect's 50-year-old male member in the middle of the search operation.
Around 2,000 PNP personnel entered the KoJC compound in Davao City early Saturday morning to serve an arrest warrant against Quiboloy, who is facing child and sexual abuse and human trafficking cases in courts in Davao City and Pasig. The pastor, however, was never found.
"We call on the remaining decent and patriotic members of our government not to allow themselves to be used and to be abusive and violent in enforcing illegal orders," Duterte said in a statement late Saturday.
Deputy Majority Leader Jude Acidre countered that as a former top leader, Duterte must refrain from making statements that "tend to sow confusion and divide the Filipino nation.
"He should be all for upholding the law at all times, no exceptions," he stressed.
In the same vein, Assistant Majority Leader Angelo Jil Bongalon said Duterte should be the last to react adversely to the operation against Quiboloy.
"As a former president, he is the first person who should uphold the rule of law. Why would he say such a thing?" Bongalon asked.
He added, "We all know that the [subject] of this arrest warrant is a close friend of the former president. Shouldn't he just show delicadeza and stop talking about it?"
Daughter in defense
Coming to the defense of his father, Vice President Sara Duterte also strongly criticized the "gross abuse of police power," saying the "use of force" against KoJC devotees is "not acceptable."
"These acts are not only a blatant violation of Constitutionally-protected rights but a betrayal of the trust that we, Filipinos, place in the very institution sworn to protect and serve us," she lamented.
In addition, the VP likewise apologized to KoJC members for "encouraging you to vote for Bongbong Marcos Jr. in the 2022 elections."
Assistant Majority Leader Jefferson Khonghun, however, lambasted the VP for undermining the government's effort by making such "baseless accusations and apologies that do nothing to address the real issue."
"This is a clear attempt to deflect from the real issue at hand, which is Quiboloy's refusal to submit to the law. Instead of apologizing for political choices, the Vice President should be focusing on ensuring that her ally faces justice," he pointed out.
"No one is above the law, and that includes Pastor Quiboloy," Khonghun added.
For his part, Assistant Majority Leader Ortega V said, "It's disheartening to see Vice President Duterte try to shift the narrative by invoking her role in the last election."
"The reality is that this situation is about holding a fugitive accountable for his actions, not about who voted for whom in 2022…. The PNP was simply doing its job by enforcing a valid arrest warrant against Quiboloy and his cohorts, who are facing serious charges," Ortega said.
"To call this an 'abuse of power' is a gross mischaracterization of the situation. The police were acting within the bounds of the law, and any confrontation that ensued was the result of resistance from within the compound, not police overreach," he lamented.
Instead, Ortega called on the VP to respect the rule of law and support the PNP in its efforts to uphold justice.
"The law must prevail, and we expect all public officials, including the Vice President, to stand behind our institutions as they work to ensure that justice is served," he concluded.
Quiboloy is a prominent ally of the Dutertes, whose television network, Sonshine Media Network International, was ordered to cease over allegations that Duterte allies were using its operations to spout fake news against the current administration.