Lawmaker Contracts PNP’s Implementation of Arrest Warrants Based on Status of Subjects
LAWMAKER – Kabataan party-list Representative Raoul Manuel reacted to the failure of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to locate and arrest high-profile personalities like Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and dismissed Mayor Alice Guo.
Currently, there are several high-profile personalities in the Philippines with pending arrest orders. Among them are Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.
It has nearly been five months since the Senate released an arrest order against Pastor Apollo Quiboloy. He was cited for contempt after snubbing the subpoenas issued by the upper chamber over the allegations against him.
In fact, reward money is up for anyone who can give information that can lead to Quiboloy’s arrest. There are rumors and speculations that the Pastor is not only hiding but he is also obtaining protection from someone with a higher status.
In the case of dismissed Mayor Alice Guo, it was last month when the Senate issued an arrest order against Guo for skipping two (2) Senate hearings. She is faced with accusations over her alleged involvement in the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming operations (POGOs) in the country.
Guo’s identity is also being questioned. The National Bureau of Investigation, more popularly called NBI, previously confirmed that her fingerprints matched with the fingerprints of Guo Hua Ping, a Chinese national who entered the country in 2003.
The Office of the Ombudsman recently ruled to order the dismissal of Mayor Alice Guo from office amid her pending arrest. The Ombudsman also ordered the forfeiture of all her retirement benefits and she will not be allowed to run for any public office again.
Recently, during the House Committee on Appropriations’ deliberations on the proposed 2025 budget of the DILG or the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), a lawmaker expressed his side on the PNP’s failure to locate Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and dismissed Mayor Alice Guo.
Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, Kabataan Party-List Representative Raoul Manuel contrasted the PNP’s implementation of arrest warrants between ordinary individuals and high-profile subjects. The lawmaker stressed that it is really hard for the PNP to arrest high-profile individuals.
“Kapag big personalities talaga, parang ang hirap arestuhin ng PNP. Pero kapag ordinaryong tao, ang dali lang hulihin,” Manuel said.
The lawmaker believes that there is a need to fix the system of implementing arrest orders by the PNP. Based on the report, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos defended his department saying that they continue to exert efforts for the arrest of the individuals with arrest orders.
Abalos stressed that there is even a pending case filed against them for raiding the church of Quiboloy. The chief of the PNP, Rommel Marbil, assured the lawmaker of their continuous investigation and tracking of these individuals not only by the PNP but by the other government agencies.
“Hindi po kami ganoon. Maski sino po hahanapin namin,” Abalos said.