Hunt for Filipino preacher uncovers secret tunnels, rooms that held sex victims

Police believe Quiboloy is hiding in a bunker somewhere underneath the sprawling 30ha compound of his church

- Mara Cepeda

The Philippine National Police (PNP) continues its protracted game of hide-and-seek as it hunts for fugitive preacher Apollo Quiboloy, who is accused of trafficking and sexually abusing women and girls as young as 12.

The police believe Quiboloy, the 74-year-old self-proclaimed “appointed son of God”, is hiding in a bunker along with four of his co-accused associates somewhere underneath the sprawling 30ha compound of his church, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), in the southern Philippine city of Davao.

Quiboloy is the spiritual adviser of former president Rodrigo Duterte, whose family counts Davao as its political stronghold.

The manhunt entered its 14th day on Sept 6, as KOJC followers continued to clash with the police in a bid to stop the authorities from enforcing a court-issued arrest warrant against the pastor and his accomplices. Thousands of police officers have been deployed in the massive operation aiming to bring the fugitive pastor to jail.

Though Quiboloy is yet to be found, the PNP has uncovered an intricate labyrinth of secret tunnels and underground rooms at the KOJC property.

That includes the discovery of several facilities believed to have been used to detain women forced to do sexual favours for the doomsday preacher.

“We will not stop until Mr Quiboloy is arrested. We are not going to turn our backs against the helpless and voiceless victims of Mr Quiboloy,” said the Davao Region police chief, Brigadier-General Nicolas Torre III, on Sept 6 before a Philippine Senate committee hearing looking into the conduct of the manhunt for Quiboloy.

The probe is being led by Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who served as PNP chief under Mr Duterte. He and senators Robin Padilla and Bong Go, also Duterte allies, flew to Davao City to conduct the hearing there.