Am I my friend’s keeper?
Former president Rodrigo Duterte threw a naughty tease via a recorded video on the possibility he is keeping Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder Pastor Apollo Quiboloy from the authorities.
“I am a loyal friend. Of course, sasabihin nila na tinago ko si Pastor Quiboloy, kayo nga, anong tingin ninyo?” said the former president in a short video message.
The embattled evangelist, who is the subject of a warrant of arrest, earlier claimed in a statement that he was in hiding for fear of being extradited.
Authorities did not stop pursuing Quiboloy by serving a warrant of arrest against him and five others since last month.
On Monday, the service of the arrest warrant was marred with commotion and damage to properties allegedly committed by members of the Special Action Force (SAF) battalion in full battle gear and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) at the compounds of KOJC in Buhangin, Glory Mountain and Prayer Mountain in Tamayong, Calinan District in Davao City.
The police operatives also went to QSands Baptismal Resort in the Island Garden City of Samal (IGaCoS), and Kitbog Compound in Malungon, Sarangani province.
However, the authorities could not find Quiboloy.
In response to the raid, Duterte commented in a statement: “Unfortunately, the obsession of this administration to demonize Pastor Quiboloy even before he could be convicted by a court of law is a clear maneuver to divert attention from the deepening crisis spawned by corruption, incompetence, and abuse of authority.”
Duterte and Quiboloy are long-time friends. The Duterte household, including Vice President Sara Duterte, is close to the evangelist.
Quiboloy has appointed Duterte as administrator of KOJC’s properties when he started to go missing.
Quiboloy has also helped several candidates and government officials. In fact, he helped in catapulting the tandem of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte’s Uniteam to the highest posts in the 2022 national elections.
The evangelist owns the Sonshine Media Network Inc. (SMNI), which was ordered closed indefinitely by the National Telecommunication Commission (NTC) earlier this year.
