Fugitive pastor arrested for sex crimes

[Pelican Press 0]

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Fugitive pastor arrested for **** *******

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Apollo Quiboloy claims to be the “Appointed Son of ****”

An influential ********* pastor wanted in the Philippine and the US for child **** trafficking has been arrested, ending a two-week long standoff between police officers and his followers.

Police have been attempting to arrest Apollo Quiboloy who claims to be the “Appointed Son of ****”, in a raid on his sprawling ******* compound.

Violent scuffles broke out between thousands of his followers and anti-riot police officers, with one ******* member dying of a heart ******* during the raid.

Mr Quiboloy, whose Kingdom of ****** ******* (KOJC) claims to have seven million followers, has denied all charges against him.

In 2021, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) charged Mr Quiboloy with **** trafficking of children, ****** and coercion and bulk cash smuggling.

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said he trafficked ****** and women from the Philippines to the US, where they are forced to solicit money for a bogus charity.

He also required his female personal assistants, who are called “pastorals”, to have **** with him, the FBI said.

But as all this was happening, Mr Quiboloy was rising to national prominence under then-president Rodrigo Duterte, previously serving as spiritual adviser to the former leader.

However, his fortunes turned when Mr Duterte stepped down in June 2022.

********* authorities soon charged him with child ******, ******* ****** and human trafficking and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

‘Peaceful surrender’

For two weeks, thousands of policemen have been engaged in a standoff with Mr Quiboloy’s followers, as they raided his 30-hectare (75-acre) KOJC compound in Davao. They said Mr Quiboloy was hiding in an underground bunker based on the sound of heartbeats detected by surveillance equipment.

The complex is home to some 40 buildings, including a cathedral, a school and even a hangar.

Mr Quiboloy’s lawyer said the two-week-long manhunt had turned the KOJC compound into a “police garrison”, with one of their cathedrals “desecreated”.

On Sunday, Mr Quiboloy surrendered peacefully after he was given a 24-hour “ultimatum”, said Col Jean Fajardo, the national police spokesperson.

Mr Quiboloy’s lawyer, Israelito Torreon, said his client surrendered “because he does not want the lawless ********* to continue to happen”.

The circumstances of his arrest were not immediately clear, except that it happened in the compound.

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For two weeks, Mr Quiboloy’s followers figures in a standoff with the authorities

The regional police chief, Brig Gen Nicolas Torre, said a “concerted effort of everyone involved” led to the arrest.

Mr Quiboloy and four others who were arrested with him were flown to national police headquarters in the capital Manila where they are currently detained.

Before his arrest, Mr Quiboloy said that the “******” was behind his legal woes.

He has also said that he does not want the FBI to “meddle” in his case.

The standoff at the KOJC has taken place as a very public falling out between the Marcos and Duterte political families has unfolded.

The US Department of Justice had earlier charged him with child **** trafficking, ****** and bulk cash smuggling and sought his arrest a few months before Mr Duterte handed power to current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, but it was only during Mr Marcos’ term that authorities started pursuing the pastor.

While Mr Quiboloy was in hiding, Mr Duterte said he knew where he was but would not tell the police.

Mr Duterte’s daughter, Vice-President Sara Duterte also criticised police pursuing Mr Quiboloy of applying “questionable” force.

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#Fugitive #pastor #arrested #**** #*******

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