By: Atty. Marlo T. Cristobal
The nation saw in full view on TV yesterday the process of serving of the warrant of arrest on Pastor Apollo Quiboloy at about 4 am. It was an utter horrible sight of the PNP proceeding to reckon with.
The law is clear that in seeking arrest by virtue of a warrant, no unnecessary force is to be employed. And there can be no more ideal, no more compelling reason to observe this restraint when you seek to execute a warrant of arrest in a holy ground against a holy man, a harmless soul. But the PNP Command and its personnel in their insolent boldness and in a spirit of self-entitlement opted to achieve an abusive and foolish scenario of violently smashing and damaging the fence of KOJC to create an opening so unnecessarily big for supposedly just an entry to allow service of the warrant. This wreaking of damage to a religious group property in a manner so violent and excessive was approvingly witnessed by a battalion of policemen in full battle gear and armed to the teeth, as if the battalion were into a war zone. The PNP Command and its men have done a good job to lick the asses of their boss in the Palace. The PNP Chief should not ridiculously plead the lame defense that he is just following order. We are sure he knows the law and his Academy had certainly taught him to follow only lawful orders.
The Commander-in-Chief of this uniformed personnel must be in tremendous glee as he watched by the side his men executing the iconic Hollywood Clint Eastwood patented style of “excessive force.” He is sorely mistaken if he takes the Filipinos as fans of Hollywood genre of mischiefs. Our nation’s history is replete with saga that in the Filipino veins flows the blood of a warrior, who easily and surely rebels against injustices, the latest of which saga was when Filipinos rose in rebellion to throw out his father of the Palace, with a loud cry heard worldwide — never again.
Since it is difficult to divine the justice of the excessive force the government employed in the service of the warrant from the standpoint of the general law and the Constitution that protects Pastor Quiboloy’s rights to property and liberty, we can only conclude that the administration is instead politicking.
The government is sending the message that it is tough and fearless that it can do even its reckless thing in the very territory of the Dutertes, and the halcyon fence of the religious congregation, which should be taken as the symbol of law and order in the very kingdom of the Dutertes, the government had cavalierly taken down in even swaggering style. It seeks to issue this message, “Don’t dare fight us, we have the power and the force.” Yeah right, Marcos father used to tell us that also. And for the media the chilling effect, “Don’t dare attack us more,” or suffer similar force.
But former President Duterte rightly got the message, and issued his quick answer, condemning the warrant service through excessive and unnecessary use of force (the legal objections to the warrant service). And Mr. Marcos should take note that FP Duterte is taking his dare, saying his act is, “absolutely unacceptable.” This simply means he is not taking Marcos’ recklessness in his kingdom sitting down.
Countrymen, with former President Duterte’s reply, we can say that the battle lines are finally drawn. The stage is set, and the drama unfolds.
