Fugitive 'Son of God' pastor arrested for sex crimes

An influential Filipino pastor wanted successful the Philippine and the US for kid enactment trafficking has been arrested, ending a two-week agelong standoff betwixt constabulary officers and his followers.

Police person been attempting to apprehension Apollo Quiboloy who claims to beryllium the "Appointed Son of God", successful a raid connected his sprawling religion compound.

Violent scuffles broke retired betwixt thousands of his followers and anti-riot constabulary officers, with 1 religion subordinate dying of a bosom onslaught during the raid.

Mr Quiboloy, whose Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) claims to person 7 cardinal followers, has denied each charges against him.

In 2021, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) charged Mr Quiboloy with enactment trafficking of children, fraud and coercion and bulk currency smuggling.

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said helium trafficked girls and women from the Philippines to the US, wherever they are forced to solicit wealth for a bogus charity.

He besides required his pistillate idiosyncratic assistants, who are called “pastorals”, to person enactment with him, the FBI said.

But arsenic each this was happening, Mr Quiboloy was rising to nationalist prominence nether then-president Rodrigo Duterte, antecedently serving arsenic spiritual advisor to the erstwhile leader.

However, his fortunes turned erstwhile Mr Duterte stepped down successful June 2022.

Filipino authorities soon charged him with kid abuse, intersexual maltreatment and quality trafficking and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

For 2 weeks, thousands of policemen person been engaged successful a standoff with Mr Quiboloy's followers, arsenic they raided his 30-hectare (75-acre) KOJC compound successful Davao. They said Mr Quiboloy was hiding successful an underground bunker based connected the dependable of heartbeats detected by surveillance equipment.

The analyzable is location to immoderate 40 buildings, including a cathedral, a schoolhouse and adjacent a hangar.

Mr Quiboloy's lawyer said the two-week-long manhunt had turned the KOJC compound into a "police garrison", with 1 of their cathedrals "desecreated".

On Sunday, Mr Quiboloy surrendered peacefully aft helium was fixed a 24-hour "ultimatum", said Col Jean Fajardo, the nationalist constabulary spokesperson.

Mr Quiboloy's lawyer, Israelito Torreon, said his lawsuit surrendered "because helium does not privation the lawless unit to proceed to happen".

The circumstances of his apprehension were not instantly clear, but that it happened successful the compound.

The determination constabulary chief, Brig Gen Nicolas Torre, said a "concerted effort of everyone involved" led to the arrest.

Mr Quiboloy and 4 others who were arrested with him were flown to nationalist constabulary office successful the superior Manila wherever they are presently detained.

Before his arrest, Mr Quiboloy said that the "devil" was down his ineligible woes.

He has besides said that helium does not privation the FBI to "meddle" successful his case.

The standoff astatine the KOJC has taken spot arsenic a precise nationalist falling retired betwixt the Marcos and Duterte governmental families has unfolded.

The US Department of Justice had earlier charged him with kid enactment trafficking, fraud and bulk currency smuggling and sought his apprehension a fewer months earlier Mr Duterte handed powerfulness to existent President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, but it was lone during Mr Marcos' word that authorities started pursuing the pastor.

While Mr Quiboloy was successful hiding, Mr Duterte said helium knew wherever helium was but would not archer the police.

Mr Duterte's daughter, Vice-President Sara Duterte besides criticised constabulary pursuing Mr Quiboloy of applying "questionable" force.