Hontiveros urges PNP to stop making excuses, revoke Quiboloy’s firearms

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Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday called on the Philippine National Police (PNP) to “stop making excuses” and revoke the gun permits of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.

“Kung talagang kasangga namin sila sa pagpapanagot sa mga pambabastos ni Quiboloy sa ating mga institusyon, dapat ginagawa nila ang lahat para mahuli siya,” she said in a statement.

(If they really support us in holding Quiboloy accountable for his actions against our institutions, they should be doing everything to catch him.)

“At isang mahalagang paraan ang pagbawi ng mga armas, lalo na ng isang pugante (And an important method for that is the recovery of weapons, especially of a fugitive),” she added.

Citing PNP’s Implementing Rules and Regulations, Hontiveros pointed out that “pendency of a criminal case with imposable penalty of more than two years” is included as legal disability for gun owners.

“Sa dami at bigat ng pending cases ni Quiboloy, siguro naman pwede nang bawiin ang mga armas niya. Sa kasong human trafficking pa lang, non-bailable at lifetime imprisonment na ang parusa, kaya ano pa hinihintay ng PNP? Nakapagtataka ang bagal,” she said.

(With the number and weight of Quiboloy’s pending cases, maybe his weapons can be taken back. In the case of human trafficking, the punishment is non-bailable and life imprisonment, so what is the PNP waiting for? It is surprising that they are responding so slowly.)

In a press conference, PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said the Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) has been studying the matter.

She said the PNP is now considering Section 4 (g) of the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act as ground to revoke Quiboloy’s gun permits.

“Pinag-aaralan po ng inyong FEO kung meron pa po bang ibang applicable provision as stated in the law (The FEO is studying if there is any other applicable provision as stated in the law),” Fajardo said.

“May ipapakita po ako Section 4 ng RA 10591 particularly po ‘yung Section 4 (g) na pinag-aaralan po ngayon ng board po ng FEO na maari po itong mag-apply sa kaso ni Pastor Quiboloy,” she added.

(I will show you Section 4 of RA 10591, particularly Section 4 (g), which is currently being studied by the FEO board that can be applied to Pastor Quiboloy’s case.)

Under the Standards and Requisites for Issuance of and Obtaining a License to Own and Possess Firearms stated in the law, “The applicant has not been convicted or is currently an accused in a pending criminal case before any court of law for a crime that is punishable with a penalty of more than two years.”

“We want to assure our honorable senator at ang ating mga kababayan na tuloy-tuloy po ‘yung efforts ng PNP in coordination with other law enforcement agencies sa paghahanap po kay Pastor Quiboloy at ‘yung iba pa pong akusado,” Fajardo said.

(We want to assure our honorable senator and our countrymen that the PNP will continue to make efforts in coordination with other law enforcement agencies in the search for Pastor Quiboloy and the other accused.)

According to her, the PNP is only waiting for the FEO to issue a resolution on the matter possibly this Monday.

Fajardo earlier said Quiboloy has 19 firearms and the license of one of them already expired in March.

Despite having firearms, Fajardo said the PNP cannot consider Quiboloy as “armed and dangerous” because has no records of being violent or employing a private armed group in the past.

The Senate issued an arrest order against Quiboloy for “unduly refusing to appear, despite due notices,” at hearings on his alleged involvement in the sexual abuse of his members and human trafficking issues.

A Davao court also issued a warrant of arrest against Quiboloy and five others over charges of child abuse.

Four of the co-accused turned themselves in, while another, Cresente Canada, was arrested by NBI agents.

All five have posted bail, while Quiboloy remains at large.

A Pasig court has also issued an arrest warrant against Quiboloy for human trafficking charges.

The Senate held a hearing on the alleged human trafficking and sexual abuse of some members of Quiboloy’s KOJC, while a House hearing is tackling issues against the franchise renewal of Quiboloy’s Sonshine Media Network Inc. (SMNI).

In the United States, Central District of California Judge Terry Hatter Jr. on March 7 ordered the unsealing of the arrest warrants against Quiboloy and his co-accused.

The unsealing was requested by the United States Attorney Criminal Division handling Quiboloy’s case, which involves charges of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud, coercion, sex trafficking of children, conspiracy, and cash smuggling.

“Upon application of the government, and for good cause shown, the arrest warrants and returns in this case are unsealed,” Hatter said in his order dated March 1, 2024.

According to New York lawyer Lara Gregory, this could be the first step in initiating the extradition process by the US Department of Justice for Quiboloy.

Now that the arrest warrants for Quiboloy and his co-accused have been unsealed, INTERPOL may also issue Red Notices for their names, he added.

President Ferdinand ”Bongbong” Marcos Jr. earlier said the proceedings against Quiboloy would be fair, adding that the latter should not worry about the United States meddling in his cases.

The Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader has denied the accusations against him.—AOL, GMA Integrated News

This article Hontiveros urges PNP to stop making excuses, revoke Quiboloy’s firearms was originally published in GMA News Online.