PNP charges Quiboloy supporters with sedition
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has filed a criminal complaint — for sedition and inciting to sedition — against several people who allegedly helped Apollo Quiboloy elude arrest while fanning antigovernment sentiments at the height of the massive police manhunt for the controversial televangelist in Davao City last month.
The PNP said they tried to mislead authorities by denying knowledge of Quiboloy’s whereabouts, using violence and setting up barricades to delay the search, and calling on the public to ”attack” Malacanang to prevent his warrant of arrest from being served.
Among those named in the complaint filed at Department of Justice on Thursday were Israelito Torreon, lawyer of the Quiboloy-founded sect Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC); and political commentator and former anti-communist task force spokesperson Lorraine Badoy-Partosa.
Also named respondents were Jeffrey Celis, who claimed to be a former high-ranking official of the New People’s Army; KOJC executive secretary Eleanor Cardona; Carlo Catil; Kathleen Kaye Laurente; Trinidad Arafol; Lord Byron Cristobal; Joey Espina Sun; Esteban Lava; Jose Lim III; Marie Dinah Tolentino-Fuentes, as well as several “John Does” and “Jane Does.”
Badoy and Celis are media personalities facing other civil suits for alleged red-tagging in their program on Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), which is owned by the KOJC.
The PNP complaint cited the respondents for alleged violation of Article 139 of the Revised Penal Code (sedition) and Article 142 (inciting to sedition) in relation to Section 6 of Republic Act No. 10175, also known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
Classified as a “crime against public order,” the charge of sedition may warrant detention and denial of bail to prevent the accused from taking further actions that might disrupt public order or pose threats to national security.
Obstruction attempt
The complaint was in connection with the 16-day police operation at the KOJC compound in Davao City to locate and serve the arrest warrants on Quiboloy and four of his five co-accused in the sexual abuse and human trafficking cases they face in the Quezon City and Pasig courts, a PNP spokesperson said in a press briefing.
“There was a deliberate attempt on their part to really hide the whereabouts of Quiboloy and others. We were able to prove that when it turned out that Quiboloy and others were really hiding in KOJC. There was an intention to really deny their location. We have documented all their actions against our policemen,” said Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo.
“Initially, what we alleged were their actions, such as calling on the people to rise against the government, preventing the police from serving the warrant of arrest, and many others,” said Police Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, director of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, a former Davao Region police director who led the operations against Quiboloy.
According to the complaint, Torreon and the other respondents barricaded the KOJC compound when police attempted to serve the arrest warrant on Quiboloy on Aug. 24.
Specifically, Torreon, Cardona, Catil, Partosa, Celis, Laurente, and Arafol, “along with other supporters and members of KOJC, barricaded the gate and manifested their opposition to the operation at the KOJC,” the complaint said.
“Torreon, Cardona, and Catil, along with their supporters and members, misled the complainant by asserting that the warrant of arrest should not be executed in Davao City, as it was only issued against Sylvia Cemanes, a resident of Pasig City,” it added.
Call to ‘attack’ Palace
The complaint outlined how KOJC members and supporters committed violent acts against police personnel when they staged rallies on Aug. 25 and 26, based on the affidavits from the officers involved in the search.
These actions included blocking the highway with vehicles, throwing chairs and stones, spraying fire extinguishers, setting tires ablaze, and mocking the civil disturbance management contingents.
The complaint also cited a nine-minute video posted on the Facebook page of SMNI that was uploaded around 12:19 a.m. on Aug. 24.
The video, titled “Call to Rise Up,” had a caption that read: “WE ARE WITHDRAWING OUR SUPPORT FROM THIS EVIL, CORRUPT, LAWLESS REGIME OF BONGBONG MARCOS —KOJC.”
The entire clip showed Cardona calling on the “eight million members and supporters” of the KOJC to prepare.
“I’m calling all members, all supporters, all kingdom leaders. Get ready because this is going full steam ahead. We are going to Malacañang. We won’t wait to be attacked; we will be the ones to attack,” she said.
The PNP earlier filed a complaint for obstruction of justice and direct assault complaints against the KOJC members.
Quiboloy surrendered to authorities on Sept. 9 after being given an ultimatum by the police. He has since been detained at the Pasig City jail.
