DAVAO CITY - President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. staunchly defended the large-scale police operation at the compound of Apollo Quiboloy, dismissing criticism of human rights violations as politically motivated.

According to Philippines News Agency, the significant police presence at the 30-hectare Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound was necessary to maintain order and ensure the operation's effectiveness. "The deployment of a large number of officers is not a human rights violation. We needed many people to inspect such a large area effectively," Marcos explained in a media interview at Malacañang. He emphasized that the officers involved were unarmed, countering claims of excessive force. "No guns, no tear gas was used. What human rights violation are they talking about?" he questioned, attributing the controversy to political agendas.

The operation, which took place on Saturday, involved approximately 2,000 police officers and aimed to apprehend Quiboloy, who faces charges of child abuse and human trafficking. The police believe Quiboloy is still within the confines of the KOJC compound, which also houses some of his followers.

Further addressing the situation, Marcos criticized Quiboloy for involving his followers, who he claimed were being unfairly dragged into the legal issues. "They are looking for a value system, and they think they have found it with Quiboloy, but they did not sign up to be on the frontline of such events," he added.

Echoing the president's call for legal adherence, Ozamiz Archbishop Martin Jumoad urged Quiboloy to surrender and face the charges in court to prevent further harm. Speaking to Church-run Radio Veritas, Archbishop Jumoad emphasized, "Pastor Quiboloy must surrender now for the sake of his people and to stop more loss of lives and damage of property. If he is innocent, there is the court."