THE NATIONAL Bureau of Investigation (NBI) concluded another fruitless attempt to arrest Apollo Quiboloy and his co-accused on Friday afternoon after combing through the massive “King Dome” near the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) headquarters.
Lawyer Archie Albao, the regional director of NBI XI, confirmed that Quiboloy was not found during the search, which began around 4 p.m. and concluded at approximately 5:30 p.m.
“We targeted the dome based on information that Quiboloy might be staying there,” Albao explained.
The NBI team of 20 personnel, accompanied by lawyers and KOJC officials, faced challenging conditions inside the sprawling structure.
“There was no light or power; it was dark, no ventilation, and we only had flashlights,” Albao recounted, describing the visibly exhausted operatives who emerged after the one-and-a-half-hour search.
Albao also noted that the search team had to wait about ten minutes before being granted entry, as KOJC representatives needed to contact their lawyers and officials for permission.
Quiboloy’s compound: A fortress?
A vast, intricate compound owned by the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) along Davao City’s Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway has drawn the attention of authorities.
Authorities suspected it was Quiboloy’s hideout.
Accordingly, the vast property conceals an intricate network of underground spaces, tunnels, and even a taxiway leading directly to the Davao International Airport.
Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III, director of the Police Regional Office XI, stated, “The indicators and informants are telling us he’s just inside. That’s why he’s being watched over by his followers.”
Torre revealed an estimated 3,000 people were within the compound, possibly guarding Quiboloy.
The difficulty of apprehending Quiboloy within this complex was highlighted during Torre’s testimony before the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs last August 5.
He described the property as a “hide-and-seek [situation] in a 30-hectare property.”
The still-unfinished King Dome, a colossal structure designed to hold 77,000 people, adds to the property’s grandeur.
Torre detailed the compound’s intricacies: several elevator shafts, a network of tunnels, an underground parking area, and a passageway leading to a hangar capable of housing four helicopters and two planes. The hangar even has its own taxiway to the Davao airport.
Torre also suspects the existence of “secret doors” missed during a previous search involving over 200 police officers.
He believed the search wasn’t thorough enough.
The sheer size and complexity of the property made the search daunting. Torre stated, “The search cannot be done in one day, one week, or even one month…not even with 1,000 people.”
He urged Quiboloy to surrender to authorities to avoid further complications.
Torre hinted at plans for another police operation to serve warrants against Quiboloy and his associates. Four of his church associates are also wanted in connection with a non-bailable qualified trafficking case.
The challenge, Torre emphasized, is to execute the operation within the bounds of the law while minimizing casualties on both sides.
As the search for Quiboloy intensifies, the sprawling KOJC compound remains a symbol of the challenges faced by law enforcement in bringing the preacher to justice.
Photo courtesy of SMNI
