Phl in “even more tragic condition, rights trampled upon”

Former President Rodrigo Duterte condemned the actions of police on Saturday in an attempt to arrest Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, saying the Philippines has “never been in a more tragic state” than “today.”

“Rights have been trampled upon and our laws have been mocked,” Duterte said in a statement late Saturday night.

Duterte criticized the Philippine National Police for deploying thousands of police officers just to execute an arrest warrant against Quiboloy at a KOJC compound in Davao City.

He said police officers forcibly entered the premises, “which resulted in a violent confrontation and the unfortunate death of a KOJC member and the immediate medical attention of many others.”

“We sympathize with the members of the KoJC who have been victims of political harassment, persecution, violence and abuse of power,” he added.

Duterte said the police raid “certainly casts a dark stain on the shoulders of those involved in today's incident, which was led by none other than the highest-ranking police officer in the region.”

“We call on the remaining decent and patriotic members of our government not to allow themselves to be abused and not to resort to abuse and violence in enforcing illegal orders,” he said.

Duterte also called on “all Filipinos, regardless of their political persuasion, to pray for peace and justice and to save our people from the unjustified tensions caused by the reign of fear and terror by people who are sworn to uphold the law and protect the citizens of this country.”

He then criticized the government's ability to ensure the protection of the constitutional rights of Filipinos “while even the most basic of those rights are blatantly violated.”

PBBM must intervene – Panelo

Meanwhile, former presidential legal adviser Salvador Panelo described the police action as the latest attack on KOJC members.

Panelo also criticized the police for destroying the gates of the complex and using tear gas, which he said caused injuries and damage to KOJC living in the area.

“Despite the fact that the law enforcement officers were allowed to enter the main entrance of the KOJC, their comrades destroyed the back gate leading to the KOJC’s private hangar and threw tear gas bombs at the KOJC members who were woken from their sleep, causing them eye injuries and abrasions as they [scampered] safe,” he said.

Panelo said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. must “intervene” against what he sees as “persistent monstrous irregularities and illegalities” in the country's police operations.

“The PNP's job is to enforce the law, not break it, to protect the people, not frighten them, to protect citizens from criminal violence, not impose it on them,” he said.