DILG offers P10 million reward for the arrest of Apollo Quiboloy, P1 million each for co-accused
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is offering a total reward of P15 million for the arrest of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder Apollo Quiboloy and his five co-accused in several criminal cases.
In a press conference on Monday, July 8, DILG secretary Benhur Abalos announced that a P10 million reward will be given to anyone who could give key information for the arrest of Quiboloy, who is facing charges of sexual abuse of children, exploitation, and human trafficking, among others.
He added that aside from Quiboloy, a P1 million reward each will be given for the arrest of his co-accused namely Cresente C. Canada, Paulene C. Canada, Ingrid C. Canada, Sylvia C. Cemañes, and Jackilyn W. Roy.
“I would like to inform you that we will offer reward money on any individual who can give us information on the whereabouts of wanted Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy, Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Ingrid Canada, Jackielyn Roy and Sylvia Cemañes, the fugitives who are facing cases of child abuse and exploitation and qualified trafficking without bail,” Abalos said.
Abalos said that the donors of the reward money requested not to disclose their identity.
The police searched the KOJC several times to try to serve the warrants but to no avail. Its members, meanwhile, cried foul at the police’s latest attempt, claiming that the police have used excessive force in entering their compounds.
“I am appealing to Pastor Quiboloy, you know that we have to implement this warrant. If you are innocent, we have the court. You should surrender so that we will finally put an end to this. You should face the accusation against you just like other ordinary people,” Abalos added, saying that the pastor continues to ignore the country’s justice system.
According to the lawmaker's intel, Quiboloy is still in the Philippines.
Meanwhile, former president Rodrigo Duterte previously said that he knows where his friend and former spiritual advisor, Quiboloy, is hiding but is refusing to share it with the authorities.
PNP chief Gen. Rommel Marbil is looking at the possibility of filing an obstruction of justice complaint against Duterte.
"We are looking po doon sa legal service natin to get witnesses to file cases. You cannot say something that will disrupt ‘yung effort po ng pulis natin,” Marbil said in an interview with TeleRadyo Serbisyo on Monday.
"Remember we are spending millions of manpower and pesos, just to locate these people. It's the obligation of citizens to help the government," he added.
Quiboloy has also been indicted by a federal grand jury in the US District Court for the Central District of California. In 2022, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation also issued “Wanted” posters for Quiboloy, and two other members of his KOJC, namely Teresita Tolibas Dandan and Helen Panilag. (With reports from Bella Cariaso)