DILG: Cops find complex passageways, weapons inside KOJC estate

By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – Police officers have discovered intricate passageways, explosives, and other deadly weapons inside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound in Davao City during the ongoing search for its leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.

In a press briefing in Camp Crame, Quezon City late Thursday afternoon, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. presented videos taken during the first days of the search, which showed complex structural designs of buildings inside the 30-hectare estate.

Abalos said police discovered a secret passageway that leads to another room and at least 42 buildings inside the compound.

“This is now the secret door at dito ka ngayon papasok sa kuwartong ito (and you will enter this room). Nandiyan ang kuwarto ni Pastor Quiboloy. Liliwanagin ko lang, iilan lang yan. Hindi lahat puwede namin ipakita, iilan lang yang mga secret passage at yung mga nakikita namin (That is where Pastor Quiboloy’s room is. I would like to clarify those are only a few of the passages. We cannot show everything. We only saw some of them),” he added.

He also showed video clips of another building that is under construction.

Abalos said they are coordinating with the Davao City Engineer’s Office to determine if all rooms and passageways inside the compound were declared in the construction plan submitted by the group.

“Bakit may mga ganitong construction? We are checking whether they declared or not declared at kung sakali man para alam namin kung saan kami lulusot dito. Nakakalito talaga. It’s a violation kapag hindi nakadeklara lahat ng intricate things na ginawa at binuo na puwedeng pagtaguan (Why are there constructions like these? We are checking whether they declared these so we know where we would pass through. It is really confusing. It’s a violation if they did not declare all these intricate passageways that can be used as hiding places),” he said.

Abalos also showed photos of Molotov bombs and bolos found by police forces on the roof deck of a building.

He said Quiboloy’s supporters put up barbed wires and live electrical wires inside the compound.

He, however, declined to show all videos so as not to jeopardize ongoing operations to locate Quiboloy.

“Mahirap ito. Nakita niyo ‘yung mga challenges na pinagdadaanan ng ating kapulisyahan as of now (This is difficult. Now, you see the challenges faced by our police officers),” he said.

Meanwhile, Police Regional Office (PRO) 11 (Davao) spokesperson Maj. Catherine Dela Rey said they are confident that Quiboloy is in the compound.

“We will never bomb or destroy your structure because we are not after the structure, we are not after the church, and we are not after the members. Implementing the warrant of arrest is our job, and we are ordered by the court to do so,” she said.

The PRO-11 earlier belied social media posts claiming it would bomb the cathedral inside the KOJC compound.