President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. firmly stated on Tuesday that the Philippine National Police (PNP) did not commit any human rights violations while serving the warrant of arrest against embattled Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy.

According to the President, the PNP peacefully enforced the law.

Speaking on the sidelines of the oath-taking ceremony for newly elected officers of several media groups at Malacañan Palace, President Marcos explained that the deployment of a sufficient number of police officers at the KOJC compound was necessary to maintain peace in the area.

“The only way to maintain the peace is to make sure that the area is safe and is secure. And considering this is a 30-hectare compound, kailangan mo talaga ng maraming tao. Hindi mo pwedeng gawin ito na isang dosenang pulis [lamang],” President Marcos said.

“I do not see, I think what they are talking about is political na ‘yan, hindi na totoo ‘yan,” the President added, referring to critics when asked to react on comments that there was an overkill on the deployment of police officers enforcing the warrant of arrest against Quiboloy.

When asked to comment on alleged human rights violations committed by the police, President Marcos emphasized that none were committed since all police officers deployed in the area were unarmed.

“You can ask any human rights advocate, there’s nothing that we did wrong—all the police who entered were unarmed. Not a single firearm was carried, we didn’t use tear gas, we didn’t do anything like that. So, what human rights violation?” the President remarked.

The President noted that the situation could have been different if only a few policemen had been deployed.

PND