Atty. Israelito Torreon, the legal counsel for the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), accused the Philippine National Police (PNP) of violating property rights through their alleged drilling operations at the Jose Maria College Building. He highlighted these concerns during a news conference on Saturday, stating that the PNP’s actions were illegal.
Torreon reported that a SWAT team attempted to seize control of scanners at the KOJC compound on Friday. He argued that the deployment of SWAT teams is only justifiable when there’s a need for lethal force, which was not the case as there was no indication of terrorism, kidnapping, or murder occurring at the location. Citing Article 435 of the New Civil Code, Torreon claimed the actions taken by the PNP, including bringing in mining equipment, were unlawful.
He further criticized the denial of access to the KOJC Cathedral, describing it as an “unnecessary deprivation of the property rights of an owner.” Torreon expressed disbelief at the use of an arrest warrant to justify violating property rights, saying, “Where can you find an arrest warrant being used as a legal justification to wantonly violate the property rights of another person? Only here.”
Torreon announced plans to file legal actions against PNP Region XI Director Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III and PNP Chief Police General Rommel Marbil, particularly for the use of helicopters that allegedly damaged solar panels at the Jose Maria College. He warned that the resulting legal battles could be financially devastating, estimating potential damages of over P1 billion.
Meanwhile, the PNP defended their actions, condemning KOJC members’ alleged use of laser devices against police helicopters, which they claimed posed a direct threat to the safety and operational effectiveness of law enforcement aviation units. PNP PRO 11 spokesperson Police Major Catherine dela Rey urged KOJC members to cease such activities, reiterating that the police were merely carrying out their duties.
In connection with the ongoing conflict, 29 KOJC members face complaints of obstruction of justice and direct assault after incidents that injured 60 police officers during the execution of arrest warrants for KOJC founder Apollo Quiboloy and others. Quiboloy has been accused of multiple offenses, including human trafficking and child abuse, but has denied all allegations. He has also been indicted by a federal grand jury in the United States for sex trafficking and related crimes.