1 day Ago By Jairo Bolledo
In the book of Exodus, it was an angel who brought death to some people in Egypt, except to those who followed Moses’ instructions about brushing goat or lamb’s blood on their doors. The reference to “Angels of death,” however, in the context of Apollo Quiboloy — self-proclaimed “appointed son of god” and “owner of the universe” — was used to threaten innocent children. Former Quiboloy follower and now whistleblower Arlene Stone said the preacher is untouchable and dangerous because of his influence and power.
According to her, Quiboloy always boasted about his so-called angels of death. Stone said she personally knew people who were allegedly executed by these “angels” for speaking up against Quiboloy and his Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC). “We have fellow workers who were killed.
Unfortunately, we don’t have any witnesses...
. But then, we have evidence that some of our fellow workers were killed,” Stone said in a Rappler Talk interview on September 16. After Quiboloy’s arrest last week, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said more victims came forward and accused the preacher of violating them.
Fajardo said the victims were violated as early as when they were 12 to 13 years old and were threatened that if they broke their code of secrecy, Quiboloy’s angels of death would hunt them down. “[I] just can’t imagine a minor being threatened of death. Not only them, but the children were also told that their family would be affected,” Fajardo said in a press briefing on September 12.
Play Video Probe launched Fajardo said that fear grew among Quiboloy’s victims because of these angels of death. At first, Fajardo said they were not sure if these so-called “angels” were literal goons or just figurative language allegedly used by the preacher to scare his victims. Then days later, it became clearer that these “angels” were real people.
Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos told Rappler on Wednesday, September 18, that the so-called angels of death are now under investigation. “It’s hard to speak as of this time, it’s hard. But we’re looking at each and every angle,” Abalos said.
In a press briefing on Wednesday afternoon, September 18, Fajardo said their probe is not limited to civilians since there’s also a possibility that retired or active members of uniformed services might be involved in the allegations. However, the PNP spokesperson said they cannot reveal yet the background of the people being implicated in the controversy. “But what we can confirm, according to [Police Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III], is that they already have names and they are verifying and validating reports, including the background and profile of those people.
I don’t have the list of names of those allegedly involved,” Fajardo said. A list allegedly containing the names of these angels of death had circulated and Fajardo said the Davao Region police chief “cannot confirm whether these names came from them or not.” What’s certain for now is that Torre had submitted a list of names and communicated with the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office (PNP FEO) to determine if these people are firearms holders.
“Initial verification showed that some names in the list don’t have record with FEO,” PNP Civil Security Group (CSG) spokesperson Police Lieutenant Colonel Eudisan Gultiano told Rappler. FEO is an office under the CSG’s command. If the probe shows that some PNP personnel are among these angels of death, Fajardo said they will probe into the cops’ involvement in the two-week standoff between police forces and KOJC followers.
If they are found to have provided assistance to Quiboloy, they can be liable for obstruction of justice. They may also be administratively liable if it is proven that they participated in hindering implementation of the warrant. “Then with respect to their possible involvement as members of these angels of death, that will be a separate offense, if any.
[If it will] be proven that they harmed or threatened anyone, and that they were used to inflict harm or threaten anyone, particularly those victims allegedly abused by Quiboloy, that is a serious offense that we will not let slide,” the PNP spokesperson added. Must Read Police played Apollo Quiboloy’s ‘game’ until told to ‘finish it’ How did Quiboloy ‘abuse’ his victims? Quiboloy, a close ally of former president Rodrigo Duterte, is facing sexual and child abuse cases pending in Quezon City, and a non-bailable trafficking charge pending in a Pasig City court. He was arrested on September 8 after months of a manhunt operation in Davao City, and has been under PNP custody since his arrest.
The preacher’s local cases stemmed from the complaints filed by one of his victims. In her complaint, the victim listed a series of abuses, including rape in September 2014, when she was a minor; emotional and physical mistreatment; and forced labor without compensation — all under the guise of religious service for KOJC. Before he faced local cases, Quiboloy was first indicted in the United States for sex trafficking.
In a 74-page indictment , the US Grand Jury narrated how Quiboloy allegedly abused his “pastorals,” or young women KOJC members selected to work as Quiboloy’s personal assistants. These pastorals, aged between 12 to 25, were recruited by Quiboloy and KOJC administrators. Aside from preparing Quiboloy’s meals and cleaning his residences, the pastorals engaged in sex with Quiboloy on a schedule determined by the pastor.
This was referred to as “night duty” and began before the pastorals reached the age of 18. “Defendant QUIBOLOY and other KOJC administrators coerced pastorals into having “night duty” — that is, sex — with defendant QUIBOLOY under the threat of physical and verbal abuse and eternal damnation by defendant QUIBOLOY and other KOJC administrator,” the indictment read. Quiboloy and other KOJC administrators told pastorals that performing “night duty” was “god’s will” and a privilege necessary to demonstrate their commitment to Quiboloy, the self-proclaimed “appointed son of god.
” Pastorals were rewarded by Quiboloy with privileges like tours to “Disneyland, flights in private jets, use of cell phones, and yearly monetary payments referred to as ‘honorariums’ by KOJC administrators.” Among the new victims who floated recently, Fajardo said that after Quiboloy violated his victims, he told them that they were still “pure” and that their womanhood was still “intact” because the one who had sex with them was the “spirit of God.” This is just a summary of Quiboloy’s alleged abuses against his victims.
More and more information could float as more victims continue to come forward. – Rappler.com *Quotes were translated into English for brevity.
