Lawyer Israelito Torreon, legal counsel of evangelist Apollo Quiboloy-led Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), said on Monday that operatives of the Special Action Force (SAF) and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) forcibly entered and destroyed the gate of the Glory Mountain, even though they did not have a search warrant.
“Wala silang search warrant na dala kaya nga na surprise ako kasi madaling araw, ang daming kumakalabog and I have to rush here and what happened first pagdating ko dito tinanong ko yung CIDG representative at may lawyer sila, meron ba kayong search warrant po, sabi nila wala arrest warrant lang,” Torreon said via SMNI news.
Joint forces of SAF and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) forcibly entered the KOJC compound in Buhangin, Davao City, Glory Mountain and Prayer Mountain in Tamayong, Calinan District to serve the warrant of arrest against KOJC founder Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and five others early Monday morning.
Torreon said at Glory Mountain, SAF purportedly went inside the property, dismantled the gate, and searched the rooms.
“Hindi na yun arrest warrant kundi search warrant na yan. Yung search warrant nga limited na yan masyado dapat may particular na place to be searched, dapat you have to particularly describe the things to be seen,” Torreon said.
Torreon also reacted to the arrest of some individuals at the Glory Mountain.
“May pinosasan pa na three members at ang justification ay dahil may dala daw silang mga itak, sympre bukid yun, Glory Mountain nasa dulo ng Tamayong, mga farmers yun,” he said.
He also said some SAF personnel even brought makeshift stairs for the other police to climb up to the window at the KOJC compound at 3:30 in the morning.
“Kaya nagulantang yung mga members. Sabi ko kung wala kayong search warrant wala kayong karapatan na maggamit pa kayo ng stairs at lusobin kami dito at may nasaktan pang dalawa. Yung babae natamaan ng suntok at yung member na IP nasampal,” Torreon said.
Torreon said CIDG’s intrusion into the KOJC compound is an insult and coercion.
“I’m afraid medyo lumampas ata sa batas ang ginawa na operation ngayong araw na ito. Sinabihan ko sila na hindi yun tama dahil kung tumawag kayo sa akin at pinag-usapan natin ito, hindi na kailangan ito. Seguro medyo may overkill ata dun. Hindi napo tama pursuant to the rules,” he said.
Torreon said even Quiboloy’s property in the Island Garden City of Samal (IGaCoS) was also illegally entered and the offices and rooms there were also searched without a search warrant.
He said what happened was a forced accommodation.
“Why forced accommodation? They were constrained to agree simply because of the fact that they were fully armed in full battle gear at gumamit pa ng mga stairs, pumasok na talaga. It was under duress yun kasi pumasok ka na, fully armed ka na. There was really attempt to forcibly enter the compound, which was not illegal maski sino pa ang tatanuning eh ang dala mo lang pala i arrest warrant tapos sisirain mo na yung gate. Seguro kung sino man ang umutos hinay hinay naman, dahan dahan naman kasi hindi na talaga tama yun,” he said.
Torreon said if a melee happened during the operation, they would be forced to file a case.
