Court orders transfer of Quiboloy, co-accused to QC jail

Metro Manila, Philippines – A Quezon City court has ordered the transfer of religious leader Apollo Quiboloy and his four co-accused to a city jail.

Quiboloy and the other accused are detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Facility in Camp Crame in Quezon City.

The leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and his co-accused are facing cases of child and sexual abuse and qualified trafficking.

In an order dated Sept. 9, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 106 ordered the chief of the PNP Headquarters Support Service to transfer and commit Quiboloy and Cresente Canada to the New Quezon City Jail.

Jackielyn Roy, Ingrid Canada, and Sylvia Cemañes will be moved and committed to the Quezon City Jail - Female Dormitory.

The local court also orders the wardens of the two city jails to make sure that the accused will attend the arraignment and pre-trial via videoconference hearing on Sept. 13.

PNP spokesperson PCol Jean Fajardo, however, said Quiboloy and the rest will remain at the custodial center upon orders of the Pasig Court, which is handling the non-bailable trafficking charges.

“We don't want to run the risk na ilipat po sila doon po sa QC (Quezon City) po tapos mag-bail po sila tapos wala na pong control doon 'yung PNP. We just want to harmonize itong court orders na ito,” Fajardo said in a press briefing.

[Translation: We don’t want to run the risk of transferring them to QC and post bail there, where the PNP will lose control. We just want to harmonize these court orders.]

Quiboloy and his four cohorts surrendered to authorities on Sunday after a two-week police operation to arrest him in his religious compound in Davao City.

Military custody

Quiboloy and his four cohorts surrendered to authorities on Sunday after a two-week police operation to arrest him in his religious compound in Davao City.

Quiboloy asked the regional trial courts of Pasig and Quezon City to change custody.

“What we actually stated in our urgent motion is that his custody be transferred to the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) without specifying which military facility,” Quiboloy’s legal counsel Israelito Torreon told NewsWatch Plus.

The Defense Department, however, said that it will oppose such an appeal.

“AFP facilities are subject to strict operational security protocols, thus, the AFP is not the proper agency to have custody of suspects in criminal cases,” the agency said in a statement.

In the meantime, Fajardo assured Quiboloy and the rest of their security.

“Marami na po tayong hinouse diyan na mga high-profile individuals at personalities at wala naman pong nangyari,” she said.

[Translation: We have hosted many high-profile individuals and personalities there, and nothing has happened.]

The leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is facing cases of sexual and child abuse and qualified trafficking.