DAVAO CITY — Vice President Sara Duterte said in an interview Sunday that there was definitely an abuse of authority in the implementation of the arrest warrant for Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KoJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy.
“We do not have a problem with the implementation of the warrant, but it should be done properly. The implementation of the warrant of arrest should be swift,” she added.
Duterte said the size of the KoJC compound is not an excuse for the Philippine National Police (PNP) to claim that the implementation is not yet complete.
“With the number of police and their augmentation inside to execute the warrant of arrest, you really wonder why they are not yet finished, and we are on the ninth day already,” she added.
The delay in the operation inside the KoJC compound, Duterte said, has affected the image of Davao City and the businesses of its residents.
“Flights to and from Davao City have been affected, and we do not want that to happen because we want the Dabawenyos to live a peaceful life,” she added.
Duterte also visited the KoJC during their anniversary celebration on 1 September, saying she wanted to comfort the members during their hardships.
Meanwhile, in a video sent to the media, the PNP placed yellow tape around the cathedral where the group was supposed to celebrate their 39th anniversary.
Lawyer Israelito Torreon, the KoJC legal counsel, said in a press briefing on 31 August that he would do his best to persuade police officials to allow them to use the cathedral. However, the PNP did not grant this request and cordoned off the cathedral.