Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos has assured legislators that law enforcers will catch fugitive Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and Bamban,Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.
“Whoever they are, we will catch for them,” Abalos told the House Committee on Appropriations during the agency’s 2025 budget deliberation on Thursday.
Abalos made the statement in response to Rep. Raoul Manuel of Kabataan party-list group who expressed dismay over the Philippine National Police’s inability to arrest “big personalities” like Quiboloy and Guo.
The DILG supervises the PNP, which is headed by General Rommel Marbil.
“When it’s really big personalities, it seems like it’s hard for the PNP to arrest them. When ordinary people, it’s easy to get caught and even become a victim of red-tagging that still continues today,” Manuel told the committee headed by Rep. Elizaldy Co of Ako Bicol party-list.
“So they should really get their act together and not neglect this,” added Manuel.
In response, Abalos stated: “I would just like to place it on record, we are not like that. As far as Quiboloy is concerned and the others, we are doing what we can.”
In fact, Abalos said he is being sued for doing his duty.
“In fact, for the record, we were sued. I, and the PNP were sued because of our raid at KOJC. And we are going to answer these accusations against us. That’s for the record,” the DILG chief said.
Quiboloy, leader of KOJC church,is the subject of arrest warrants for alleged violation of Republic Act (RA) 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act, and RA No. 9208 or Qualified Human Trafficking. There is also P10-million reward for information leading to his capture.
On the other hand, Guo has been dismissed from office by the Ombudsman for her alleged links to criminal activities of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) operators in her hometown. Her current whereabouts are unknown.
Meanwhile, Marbil, who attended the hearing with Abalos, told legislators that the national police’s investigation and tracking of Guo’s whereabouts are continuous, and that not only the [PNP] but all the agencies involved such as the Bureau of Immigration and “our intelligence units from the national security agency.”
As regards to Quiboloy, Marbil added, “we are doing the same thing. We are conducting continuous surveillance at the area, as well as the location of the five people at large who are with the pastor, the fugitive Apollo Quiboloy.”
