CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – One of fugitive Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s aides surrendered more than a dozen firearms to authorities over the weekend, the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the Davao Region said on Monday, May 27.

Accompanied by lawyer Israelito Torreon, Cresente “Enteng” Canada handed over 21 firearms to authorities at Quiboloy’s Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) Compound along the Phil-Japan Friendship Highway in Sasa, Davao City. 

The surrender of the firearms came just a day after Davao’s police chief, Colonel Richard Bad-ang, and several dozen key officials of the city’s police force were relieved from their posts and ordered to report to the PNP-Davao Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Section effective Friday night, May 24. 

The order to relieve the police officials was in connection with an ongoing investigation into the series of shooting deaths of people during buy-bust operations in Davao City last March.

Police said Canada surrendered the firearms “for safekeeping” on Saturday, May 25, as a result of the collaborative efforts of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and PNP in Southern Mindanao.

Authorities said the guns were owned by Canada, who serves as the barangay chairman of Tamayong. 

The Davao-based online news site Mindanews reported that the guns and ammunition surrendered by Canada included the following:

• Remington .22 LR/22 Magnum rifle
• Daewoo 12-gauge shotgun
• Elisco 5.56 rifle
• Armscor 9mm pistol
• Smith & Wesson .38 revolver
• Remington .300 Winchester small arm
• Taurus 9mm pistol
• CZ 9mm pistol
• Two FN Herstal 5.7 caliber pistols
• Colt .380 caliber pistol
• Glock 9mm pistol
• Colt .45 pistol
• Para-Ordnance .45 pistol
• Walther .22 pistol
• PMS 9mm pistol
• Metro Arms 9mm pistol
• Taurus .38 Super revolver
• Metro Arms .357 pistol
• Stryver .45 pistol
• CZ 9mm pistol
• 14 rounds of 9mm live ammunition
• Two CZ pistol magazines

On his Facebook page on Monday, Canada’s lawyer said the surrendered firearms were all licensed and all belonged to the barangay chairman.

Torreon said Canada is a “licensed sports gun collector” who decided to “entrust his guns to police authorities if only to dispel vicious rumors that he is using his guns to protect Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy.”

The lawyer also said the surrender of the firearms was “made in order to show good faith” that Canada and other leaders of the KOJC “have no intention to use violence as a means to further their lawful and Godly objectives.”

Former followers of Quiboloy said Canada served the doomsday preacher as a close-in security aide and driver. He is among those charged in Davao and Pasig courts with child abuse and human trafficking along with Quiboloy and several other associates of the preacher.  

Brigadier General Aligre Martinez, PNP-Davao regional director, said Canada’s “voluntary surrender of his several firearms is a clear message that PRO 11 exemplifies initiative and tireless efforts to ensure that the rule of law exists.”

Canada and four other Quiboloy associates are out on bail in connection with the child abuse case filed against them and the preacher in Davao City. He was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the police in Tamayong on April 3, hours before two others – former KOJC chief financial officer Paulene Canada and church coordinator Sylvia Cemañes – turned themselves in.

Two other Quiboloy associates – Jackielyn Roy and Ingrid Canada – subsequently surrendered to the NBI. 

Roy, a member of the KOJC choir, has been identified as one of Quiboloy’s associates. She and Paulene also serve in the KOJC’s “pastoral” department, a female group tasked with doing household chores and taking care of Quiboloy’s other personal needs.

Cresente, Paulene, and Ingrid, identified by former Quiboloy followers as the KOJC’s church administrator, are siblings.

In April, a court in Pasig ordered the arrest of Quiboloy, Roy, Cemañes, and the three Canada siblings for human trafficking based on the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, a non-bailable case. – Rappler.com

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