TATLO pang kongresista ang nagpahayag ng paniniwala na may pananagutan si dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte, anak nitong si Vice President Sara, si Senador Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa at ilan pang personalidad na nagbigay ng proteksyon at humadlang sa pag-aresto sa puganteng si Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.

Ayon kina 1Rider Party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez, House Deputy Majority Leader Jude Acidre at House Assistant Majority Leader Paolo Ortega V, pinaniniwalaan na ang mga nabanggit na personalidad ay mayroong kinalaman sa pagtatago ng lider ng Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) sa mga awtoridad sa loob ng ilang buwan.

“The way that we see it, if indeed it is true that they have prior knowledge on his whereabouts, and then they intentionally hid him, there will be criminal liabilities for that,” ayon kay Gutierrez, na isang abogado.

“Whether or not they are liable, we leave it to the Department of Justice to properly seek if there is indeed probable cause, and the proper cases would be filed,” paliwanag pa nito.

Inirekomenda ni Acidre sa gobyerno na ituon ang atensyon nito sa pinakamahalagang kaso. “As far as we are concerned, we should not forget that this issue is not about the perpetrator. It’s about the victims,” aniya.

“It’s about the people who were trafficked, those minors who were sent abroad and who were forced to marry to those who committed the crime. If Pastor Quiboloy is liable, then it is up to the court to decide so that we can say that finally, justice can prevail,” saad ni Acidre.

Nais namang malaman ni Ortega kung dapat din bang managot ang mga KOJC members sa pagkanlong at pagharang sa pag-aresto kay Quiboloy.

“Were they defending (Quiboloy) or were they just conducting the public hearing? It is because they conducted a public hearing, that is my immediate question. Were they adopted members of KOJC? So, were they representing or were they adopted members?” tanong pa ni Ortega.

Noong nakaraang linggo, sinabi nina Manila Rep. Joel Chua at Rep. Raul Angelo “Jil” Bongalon ng Ako Bicol Party-list na maaaring makasuhan si Duterte ng pagtatago sa isang pugante at obstruction of justice sa pagkukunwaring hindi nalalaman ang kinaroroonan ni Quiboloy.

“Duterte, serving as the administrator of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ compound where Quiboloy was apprehended, cannot simply distance himself from this troubling situation,” ayon pa kay Chua, chairman ng House committee on good government and public accountability.

“His (Duterte’s) role within the KOJC compound places him at the center of this unfolding scandal, and the public deserves clear answers about his involvement,” ayon pa kay Chua.

Matatandaan na inanunsyo ng TV network ni Quiboloy, ang Sonshine Media Network International, ang pagtatalaga kay Duterte bilang “caretaker” ng mga ari-arian ng KOJC.

“The former president can – I think – fit in the definition of an accomplice,” sabi naman ni Bongalon.

Sinabi pa ng Bicolanong mambabatas na bilang abogado, dapat ay pumapanig si Duterte sa pagsunod sa batas at hindi sa paglabag nito. “Being a lawyer also means being an officer of the court. Simply put, he should not be one who should be instrumental in the violation of the country’s laws.”

“It can even be a basis for a petition for disbarment, more so if it can be proven that he did this deliberately – it means not to serve the ends of justice, which is obviously an infraction of the law,” ayon pa kay Bongalon. “Remember, he – for all intents and purposes – was a former president.”

Sinabi pa nito, na maaari ring imbestigahan at kasuhan ang anak nitong si VP Sara at kaibigang si Dela Rosa sa parehong kaso ng obstruction of justice, dahil sa tangkang ilihis ang atensyon ng mga pulis sa paghahatid ng warrant kay Quiboloy.

“As far as I’m concerned, the same principle applies to both of them. If the former president – who used to be the chief implementor of the country’s laws – can be charged for helping Quiboloy hide, then so should his daughter and the former PNP chief who is now a senator,” paliwanag pa nito.

“Let us remember that the VP herself declared that the good pastor has already left the country. And now with Quiboloy’s arrest, what does that make of her? Did she or did she not protect him and obstruct the administration of justice by diverting police’s attention?” ayon pa kay Bongalon.