DEFENSE Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. clarified on Wednesday that soldiers were deployed to assist the Police Regional Office (PRO) XI at the request of the police amidst their ongoing search for Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and four other co-accused.
“The Philippine National Police requested deputization to support them in relieving and augmenting their personnel, so the AFP Chief of Staff and the PNP discussed it,” Teodoro told reporters during an ambush interview at the Eastern Mindanao Command’s 18th Founding Anniversary celebration in Camp Panacan on Wednesday, Aug. 28.
When asked about the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) role in enforcing the arrest warrant, Teodoro stated, “As deputized agencies of the Philippine National Police, we will cooperate with all government agencies in serving processes of the law.”
He confirmed that soldiers have been deployed to augment PRO-XI but couldn’t confirm if this was specifically related to the KOJC situation. “I do not know the specific disposition,” he said.
Regarding the AFP’s specific role in serving the arrest warrant, Teodoro emphasized established protocols. “That is part of law enforcement operations; we have protocols that the police and AFP follow.”
On Monday, Eastern Mindanao Command chief Lt Gen Rex Luis Bergante confirmed to TIMES that a Civil Disturbance Management (CDM) unit arrived on Sunday afternoon.
“The one company came from Luzon. Yung dito sa atin meron din pero naka standby lang dyan sa malapit,” Lt Gen Bergante said. Bergante said the one company of soldiers arrived this afternoon.
“Three companies na yung nandito nauna,” he added. “[It was] requested by PRO XI. Crowd management pa din.”
On the other hand, the report obtained by TIMES revealed an additional 1,100 warm bodies were sent to reinforce the estimated 2,000 security forces in KOJC. There are the following:
- Police Regional Office III – 100
- PRO 4A – 100
- NCRPO – 200.
The staging area will be at NCRPO, Bicutan Taguig.
Meanwhile, the standby units will come from the following:
- PRO VI – 100
- PRO VII – 100
- PRO VIII – 100.
The additional forces (proceeding to Davao) are from:
- PRO X – 100
- PRO XII – 100
- PRO XIII 100
- PRO BARMM – 100
Photo courtesy of Rhoda Grace Saron
