Violent protests erupted in the southern city of Davao in the Philippines on Sunday (August 25th) as the police attempted to arrest a Gospel evangelist with connections to the family of former Filipino leader Rodrigo Duterte.
According to police reports, clashes broke out between the police and hundreds of protesters wielding stones and knives as they tried to arrest television preacher Apollo Quiboloy at a religious site in Davao, leaving six police officers injured.
Quiboloy, a religious advisor and friend of former President Duterte, was not arrested during the police operation that began on Saturday (August 24th).
This was the second attempt by the police to apprehend Quiboloy, who has been accused of abuses and human trafficking, allegations denied by his followers. Additionally, Quiboloy is on the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation’s wanted list for alleged involvement in labor trafficking and sex trade.
The Philippine President’s office stated that Quiboloy must abide by the law. Presidential executive secretary Lucas Bersamin told reporters on Monday (August 26th), “He must be accountable to the law, the law must be obeyed, there is a process.”
The incident could deepen the rift and power struggle between the influential Duterte family and current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ahead of the upcoming midterm elections in less than a year, escalating competition between the two sides.
Two years ago, these two families joined forces to secure a decisive victory in the elections.
Duterte’s daughter and current Vice President Sara Duterte criticized the current government on Sunday for “grossly abusing police power” in attempting to arrest Quiboloy. She also asked for forgiveness from members of the religious group she had urged to vote for Marcos Jr. in the 2022 elections.
According to Radio Free Asia’s report on April 12th, Duterte recently criticized President Marcos Jr. in an interview with China’s Global Times, accusing him of closely aligning with U.S. foreign policy on issues like the South China Sea, leading to an unfriendly political situation between the Philippines and China. Duterte claimed that his visit to China opened doors for the Philippines, whereas Marcos Jr. denied allegations that his government solely followed U.S. directives and expressed shock over the alleged “gentleman’s agreement” Duterte reportedly made with China regarding the resupply of materials to the Second Thomas Shoal.
(This article referenced reports from Bloomberg)