Keep your distance as police close in on ‘Son of God’ pastor

A standoff has erupted in the Philippines as thousands of police raided a sprawling religious site in search of an influential priest accused of child sex trafficking and other crimes.

Police said they would not leave until they found Apollo Quiboloy, who claimed to be “the ordained son of God.”

He is believed to be holed up in his 30-hectare (75-acre) property, which contains about 40 buildings, including a cathedral, a school and even a hangar.

Authorities have been hunting Quiboloy for months. He had earlier said he “would not be taken alive”.

Davao police spokesperson Maj. Catherina dela Rey told news outlet Rappler that police raided the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound on Saturday night, with reports that they later used the weapon against Quiboloy followers who became “unruly and violent.” Tear gas.

Hundreds of Kweboloy’s followers blocked part of a major highway in an attempt to disrupt traffic leading to the compound.

They maintain his innocence and say the charges against him are trumped up.

A supporter of the group died of a heart attack during a police raid.

Major Delare said police believed Mr Quiboloy was hiding in an underground bunker with equipment believed to be able to detect people behind walls based on their heartbeats.

Mr Quiboloy, whose KOJC claims to have 7 million followers, has expanded his ministry through television, radio and social media.

He was also politically influential and served as spiritual adviser to former President Rodrigo Duterte, whose family dominated Davao City politics.

Authorities have been pursuing charges against Mr Quiboloy since Mr Duterte’s ouster in 2022.

He is accused of trafficking his followers to the United States to solicit donations for fake charities. He also allegedly asked his female followers, some of whom were underage, to have sex with him as a religious obligation.

He has said the “devil” is behind his legal troubles. He also said he did not want the FBI to “meddle” in his case.

Mr Quiboloy said in April that he was hiding from authorities to “protect” himself.

“I’m not avoiding charges because I’m guilty. That’s not true. I’m just protecting myself,” he said.

Mr Quiboloy is the leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, a Christian sect that claims seven million members.

He claims to have heard God whisper “I will use you” to him while attending an event held by American pastor Billy Graham in South Korea in 1973. .

Mr. Quiboloy preached from a glass table topped with a giant photo of his lush hilltop estate, which he has dubbed a “restored Eden.”

When he is not in Davao, he is seen traveling on a private jet.

His rise to national prominence mirrors that of Mr. Duterte. Both started in Davao City where the former president was mayor.

After Duterte was elected president in 2016, Quiboloy’s profile grew further. But as Duterte leaves office in 2022, this is starting to wane.

In addition to his alliance with Mr. Duterte, Mr. Quiboloy has gained considerable influence by supporting politicians during elections.

Mr. Quiboloy is a supporter of Gloria Arroyo, one of Mr. Duterte’s predecessors.

When Queboloy endorsed Arroyo’s chosen successor in the 2010 elections, he claimed to have seen the candidate’s name in the vision that included then-US President Barack Obama.

In the Philippines, leaders of religious organizations and sects become politically powerful when they guide their followers to vote as a group, analysts say.

The electoral race could become so cutthroat that some candidates believe the support of a leader like Kweboloy could make or break their campaigns.

“Politics in the Philippines is very much a moral exercise. So voters look to their religious leaders for guidance,” political scientist Cliff Aguiles told BBC News.

In 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) charged Mr. Quiboloy with child sex trafficking, fraud and coercion, and bulk cash smuggling.

The FBI said he trafficked girls and women from the Philippines to the United States, where they were forced to raise money for a fake charity.

The FBI said he also asked a female personal assistant, known as a “pastor,” to have sex with him.

In January 2022, the FBI issued a wanted poster seeking information on the whereabouts of Mr. Quiboloy.

In March last year, the Philippine Department of Justice filed human trafficking and sexual harassment charges against Mr. Quiboloy, accusing him of abusing a teenage girl in 2011.

Both U.S. and Philippine courts have issued arrest warrants for him.

Mr Kweboloy denies the charges against him and accuses US authorities of prejudging his case.