Abalos refutes malicious mischief raps over KOJC raid

By Benjamin Pulta, Philippine News Agency

COUNTER AFFIDAVIT. Former Interior and Local Government secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. files a counter affidavit before the Department of Justice in Manila on Friday (Nov. 22, 2024). It is in connection with the malicious mischief case that former president Rodrigo R. Duterte filed against him and police officials related to the 15-day operation that led to the arrest of religious leader Apollo Quiboloy in Davao City on Sept. 8. (PNA photo by Yancy Lim)

MANILA – Former Local Government secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. on Friday filed a counter-affidavit on the malicious mischief complaint filed against him and several Philippine National Police (PNP) officials by former president Rodrigo Duterte over the operation in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) in Davao City.

In a sworn statement filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ), Abalos said the charges failed to show a connection between the alleged acts and to his post as secretary.

“The charges are baseless. The filing of the complaint-affidavit is clearly politically motivated and brought in bad faith, intended to harass me and besmirch my good name and impugn my character,” he said.

“Here, complainant failed to substantiate his bare claim that I was made aware of the circumstances allegedly inflicted upon the KOJC members. Indeed, the fact alone that I was the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) secretary during the time when the members of the police allegedly committed violations does not make me criminally liable under the doctrine of command responsibility.”

The complaint arose from the police operations on Aug. 24 to Sept. 8 to serve a warrant of arrest to KOJC leader Apollo Quiboloy.

During the operation, police dug an underground tunnel in the basement of Jose Maria College, one of the structures inside the sprawling KOJC compound.

Duterte, as the new administrator of KOJC properties, filed the malicious mischief complaint over the destruction of the property.