THE KINGDOM of Jesus Christ (KOJC) accused police officers from the Police Regional Office XI of illegally entering the KOJC farm in Purok 3, Tamayong, Calinan District, around 2 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 5.
Accordingly, the officers belonged to the Regional Mobile Force Battalion, which also conducted a checkpoint in the area.
Many missionaries were reportedly traumatized by the incident, which they claim was illegal as no warrant of arrest was served.
SMNI’s report showed that around 2 a.m., police arrived in three patrol cars and searched the KOJC farm.
In an interview with SMNI, Tamayong Councilor Joan Udtojan stated, “This morning at 2 a.m., one of our leaders, our attorney, called me. They were being held at the checkpoint in Kawayan. We went there, and on our way back, the police stopped us, as well,” Udtojan said.
“Our attorney talked to them, but they didn’t listen, so I got out and told them, ‘I am a councilor here, and you will block us here?” she added.
Further, she said “They released us, and we waited at the compound until 5:30 a.m. But one of our companions told me to follow up on another compound. When I called, they didn’t answer. It turns out they were here at 2 a.m. raiding the place. They did terrible things to our youth. All our brethren here are traumatized; they were made to lie down and were pointed at with guns.”
“It’s truly shameful what they are doing. Why are they like this? Why do they always do this in Tamayong? This is a very peaceful place,” the barangay councilor further said.
Udtojan said the police did not coordinate with the barangay. She mentioned being warned about potential police action the day before, which led to preparations but authorities targeted a different KOJC farm.
The Police Regional Office XI has yet to release a statement or comment on the report.
Last Friday night, the (PRO) XI defended the deployment of the PNP-SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) unit outside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound in Buhangin District on Friday night, citing it as part of their ongoing crime prevention and police visibility efforts.
However, the SWAT team’s presence in full battle gear, with covered vehicle plates, caused alarm among KOJC members and resulted in heavy traffic congestion.
Netizens and motorists likened the scene to a war zone.
In response to concerns, Dela Rey reiterated the police’s strategic approach to deployment, stating,
“We strategize in our deployment and we cannot explain it all to you. The important thing is we are doing our job and part of that is crime prevention activities and police visibility.”
The incident raised questions from the media about PRO XI’s checkpoint procedures and equipment requirements.
The checkpoint followed the simultaneous raids on KOJC properties and other assets on June 10, 2024.
