Pangilinan’s Cagayan de Oro Bulk Water Incorporated (COBI) has given the COWD only until March 31 to pay a disputed debt of over P400 million, representing the increase in the former’s rates in 2021. 

COWD has refused to acknowledge the increase and debt, invoking a force majeure provision in their contract because 2021 was part of the COVID-19 pandemic period.

Engineer Antonio Young, COWD general manager, said they wrote to COBI on Wednesday, March 13, proposing to discuss with the firm “problematic provisions” in the contract, to ensure a “continuous partnership.”

The contract was signed in 2017, long before Young became the COWD’s general manager.

The COWD, in the letter, sought to address COBI’s notice of water disconnection to the water district.

According to Young, among the provisions they want to amend is the implementation of frequent water rate increases, saying that these should be “contingent” to the rate adjustments of COWD. 

“This is to keep pace, to prevent the bankruptcy of the water district,” Young told a fact-finding committee organized under the Cagayan de Oro Special Task Force for Water Supply and Distribution.

Under the COWD-COBI agreement, the supplier can adjust the rates every three years based on the average consumer price index. 

Young said they could not easily implement a rate adjustment, considering the lengthy procedure they need to follow, which includes the conduct of public hearings and getting the approval of the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA). 

Serious questions have been raised on the COWD-COBI contract after the supplier increased its rates in 2021, from P16.60 to P20.57 per cubic meter. 

On January 1, COBI increased its rates again to P24.19 per cubic meter. That, too, was not acknowledged by the COWD.

The COWD said it has continued to pay COBI P16.60 per cubic meter.

Only a court order, according to Young, can compel the COWD to acknowledge and pay the disputed debt.

He said the COWD has no legal basis to pay COBI more than the P16.60 rate.

The COWD said it also wanted to amend a contract provision where COWD needs to pay COBI for their water bills within 10 days from the date of receipt of billing.

Young said the COWD would need more time given the processes it follows. The COWD said a 60-day period would be reasonable.

The COWD is a government-owned and -controlled corporation, subject to the state’s accounting and audit rules. 

Young said they also want to rid the contract of the provision about the imposition of a penalty of 6% interest per year for COWD’s delayed payments of COBI’s billings, saying it is not allowed in government transactions. 

Also, the COWD sought to change the arbitration clause in the 2017 contract so disputes could be settled in Philippine courts. The contract provides for a costly arbitration in Singapore, based on the rules of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre. 

Lawyer Roberto Rodrigo, COBI legal counsel, told the ad hoc committee on March 7 that they were open to negotiations “to settle the issue amicably” with COWD. – Rappler.com

But it’s not only Muslims flocking to visit and enjoy the night scenery – Christians and indigenous peoples sectors also come to celebrate the Festival of Lights and indulge in the night market food.

Ricarla Mangitngit, a third-year business administration student, said she wanted to experience the vibes of Ramadan lights and sounds on its opening night and savor the night food sold at the Ramadan Trade Fair area.

“It really sends good vibes, and of course, to have a taste of the food offered here,” she said.

Abdul Khayer Mamalimping, the leader of a youth organization advocating for marginalized sectors and promoting youth involvement in community service and rehabilitation, was with his 30 other peers who joined the opening of Ramadan Light 2024 in the BGC complex.

“It’s not only Muslims who participate but also Christians and IPs. It’s nice to see that we are all for one, not counting any race or religion. The light is a symbol of peace here,” he said.

BARMM’s Ramadan Light Festival takes center stage at night after the break of the fast and tarawih (prayer). It is only open from 8 pm to 10:30 pm, following a curfew observance.

Parents with their children, relatives, and friends come to take advantage of the vibrant evening the place has to offer during Ramadan.

The BARMM Ministry of Trade, Investments, and Tourism (MTIT), said the trade fair offers good opportunities for small business players.

“This will help our local producers and entrepreneurs by providing them with a venue for promoting and selling their respective halal foods, products, and services,” according to Minister Abuamri Tadik.

“Ramadan is the month of patience and reunification. The event aims to create a welcoming space for individuals of all backgrounds to come together, share in the festivities, and foster a sense of togetherness,” he said.

BARMM Parliament Member Baileng Mantawil and her women’s group conducted a Ramadan Mobile Market in Tamontaka 1, where they distributed free raw food for the less fortunate Muslims in the city.

“Since it’s Women’s Month and falls during Ramadan, we opted to spend our resources on this noble food distribution instead of spending on seminars, conferences, or exhibits,” she said.

In Pagalungan, Maguindanao del Sur, the Islamic World Relief (IWR) led the Ramadan Food Distribution. More than 500 families from underserved communities in hard-to-reach areas in the villages of Bagoenged and Kudal initially received food packs on the first day of distribution, according to Zaynab Ampatuan, IWR communications officer.

The Ramadan packs comprise 50 kilograms of rice, two kilos of sugar, a kilo of native coffee, two liters of cooking oil, six cans of halal corned beef, three kilos of beans, two kilos of flour, and noodles.

In Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, free food for breaking the fast are offered at Masjid Raayat Mosque.

Meanwhile, in Matanog, Maguindanao del Norte, the local government led by Mayor Zohria Bansil Guro collaborated with Muslim religious leaders for mobile and community visitations after every night prayer to strengthen their religious faith, targeting most of the youth.

“Instead of organizing game ball events at night, we took the opportunity of Ramadan for spiritual reflection and faith enhancement, and we enjoin our religious leaders to visit communities for these religious missions,” Guro said.

Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod Balawag “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim, in his Ramadan statement, reminisced about the milestones in the Bangsamoro struggle in Mindanao.

“We are faced again with new kinds of challenges requiring new forms of Jihad and struggle. We need Allah’s guidance and assistance as we try to find solutions to problems of governance, poverty and security. We hope to find again the requisite patience, forbearance and wisdom as we fast in this month of Ramadhan,” read part of his Ramadan message.

He added, “We pray that the Almighty Allah will accept all our prayers amidst hardships and struggles. May this month of Ramadhan bring us closer to Him and lead us towards sharing more love and respect to others regardless of religion, ethnicity, and stations in life.”

Ramadan, one of the five pillars of Islam, is the most sacred month for Muslims around the world. During this month, Muslims are required to abstain from food, water, and sexual activities, among other things, from sunrise to sunset each day. The practice aims to enhance the self-control of believers and to direct their attention toward the plight of the needy. – Rappler.com

“While the recent landslide tested our resilience, it also strengthened our commitment to help our hosts and [impacted] barangays build a better fortress against the threats of nature,” said Luis Sarmiento, president and CEO of APEX Mining Company Incorporated (AMCI), during a hearing at the House of Representatives on Tuesday, March 12.

He added: “As our 54-year history has shown, we are here for the long haul.”

Sarmiento also told the members of the House committee on disaster resilience that AMCI follows sustainability mining practices and international standards on safety and transparency. Aside from rescue operations, they have also provided the local government a temporary relocation site, Sarmiento said.

“Much remains to be done. We continue leveling the ground zero and helping the evacuees go back to their normal lives. We have lent our property in Malamodao to the LGU as a temporary relocation facility.”

The landslide at Barangay Masara in Maco town killed at least 98 residents including nine mining employees. It happened just 570 meters from the mining site’s gate and two to three kilometers from active mine operations.

Environmental groups said that AMCI must be held responsible for what happened and demanded an investigation into the link between mining operations and recurring landslides in Maco town.

Gabriela Representative Arlene Brosas said large-scale mining destroys not only the environment, but kills workers and deprives people of their homes. She called on the administration to “suspend all large-scale mining companies in the country to prevent the destruction of our environment.”

“Mamamayan ang bumabalikat sa matinding epekto ng large-scale mining habang ang malalaking kumpanya ay patuloy na kumikita,” Brosas said.

(It’s the people who bear the brunt of the harsh effects of large-scale mining, while huge companies rake in the profits.)

Must Watch

Rappler Talk: UPRI’s Likha Minimo on lessons from the Davao de Oro landslide

Status quo

While AMCI continues operations, progress in permanently relocating residents away from the landslide-prone areas is slow.

The disaster renewed discussions on the implementation of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau’s (MGB) recommendation to declare the landslide prone area as a no-build zone.

During the hearing, the MGB said that while they have been doing regular geohazard assessments since 2008, they could only make recommendations to the local government.

Meanwhile, Maco Mayor Voltaire Rimando said MGB permitted the local government through geohazard certificates to rebuild the Masara Integrated School in 2017 and a new barangay hall in 2021.

“We consulted the stakeholder concerned, such as the MGB, to ensure that opening the school in the geohazard area will be safe…as a result Masara Integrated School resumed its classes after 9 years,” said Rimando.

“In 2021, [a new] barangay hall was established in Zone 1 which is the ground zero of 2008. The same was cleared in the MGB.”

Before that, in 2011, Rimando said the barangay council of Masara submitted before them an adopted resolution urging the local government to allow the displaced residents to return to their homes. Attached to the resolution is a signature petition from the displaced residents. At that time, Rimando said “the Sangguniang Bayan decided not to act on this matter.”

Despite the geohazard certificates presented by Rimando during the hearing, Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Representative Rufus Rodriguez said that responsibility still falls on the local government to protect its people.

Rodriguez said the MGB does not have police power, and the local government has autonomy. “The power…is in the Sanggunian,” said Rogriguez. “It is your obligation not to allow any building.” – Rappler.com

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said in a statement on March 6 that a total of P4.4 billion worth of road works are set as part of a year-long rehabilitation initiative along the Surigao-Agusan and Agusan-Davao Sections of Daang Maharlika within the Caraga region.

Of the total rehabilitation budget, P3.19 billion is allocated for Agusan del Sur, which accounts for 72.5%, the largest portion among the provinces covered by the Daang Maharlika in the region.

DPWH stated that the allocation of a significant portion of the budget for Agusan del Sur was made after a careful study and identification of priority sections of the Maharlika highway needing improvements, including 13 projects for the first district and 19 projects for the second district of the province.

The rest of the projects will cover the provinces of Agusan del Norte, with six projects worth P456.78 million; Surigao del Norte, with seven projects worth P519.91 million; and Butuan City, with three projects worth P273.45 million.

DPWH noted that the projects to be implemented are for preventive maintenance or asphalt overlaying to major repair and widening of roads and bridges, concrete reblocking, and installation of road safety measures such as pavement markings and signage.

DPWH-Caraga Director Pol Delos Santos said the projects, included in the 2024 General Appropriations Act, aim to improve the condition of the Daang Maharlika Road, which starts from Barangay Lipata in Surigao City, Surigao del Norte, and ends in Barangay Langkilaan in Trento, Agusan del Sur.

“We are accelerating the pre-construction requirements of these projects with some having completed procurement activities and are ready for implementation. Once all requirements are in place, we will immediately commence construction works,” said Delos Santos.

Motorists’ complaints

Residents and drivers have jokingly called the highway “Sungkaan,” likening it to the traditional Filipino game, due to its potholes mirroring the pits found on a sungka board.

John Jayson Dalona, a resident of Santa Josefa, Agusan del Sur, complained that his frequent travels take long because of frequent flat tires, a situation not unfamiliar to other motorists passing through the road.

“This road problem has become a serious issue to the extent that it has become an identity of Agusan del Sur. People would say that a sign you’ve reached Agusan del Sur is when the bad road conditions start,” Dalona said.

Joan Cabusas, an operations clerk in a motorcycle company in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, who rides her motorcycle to work and often travels to Surigao and Davao for work-related trips, said it has been difficult for her to navigate the highway due to the poor condition of the road, and lack of road and traffic signs.

“If it’s true that the roads in Agusan del Sur will be repaired, there is much to be grateful for. After enduring a long period when we, as motorists, consistently faced challenging roads, it will be a relief for drivers every day to travel on a well-maintained and safe national highway.”

Agusan del Sur Governor Santiago Cane Jr. earlier said the national highway falls under the jurisdiction of the DPWH, not the provincial government.

He said he has been expressing his dissatisfaction since 2018, urging DPWH officials to work on improving the highway’s conditions.

Cane said the provincial government cannot utilize its funds for the national highway, as doing so would constitute misappropriation of funds, and that there is a national government entirely responsible for addressing issues related to it.

The Daang Maharlika segment of Agusan del Sur highway consists of 122 kilometers stretching from the towns of Sibagat to Trento.

Also known as the Pan-Philippine Highway, Daang Maharlika serves as a primary transport backbone in the Caraga region. – Rappler.com

Ivy Marie Mangadlao is a community journalist writing for Mindanews and an Aries Rufo Journalism fellow for 2023-2024.

Rio Verde Water Consortium Incorporated said on Tuesday, March 12, it was prepared to take the place of the Manny V. Pangilinan-controlled Cagayan de Oro Bulk Water Incorporated (COBI) if the bulk water supplier and COWD fail to come to terms by the end of March.

COBI has given the COWD until March 31 to settle a disputed P426-million debt or face disconnection.

Engineer Joffrey Hapitan, Rio Verde’s president, said they could begin directly supplying treated water to the COWD in as little as 30 minutes if COBI made good on its threat to stop supplying to the COWD.

Hapitan said his company felt “morally bound” to directly supply COWD through an emergency purchase agreement to ensure that city residents do not go without water.

COBI, a firm controlled by Pangilinan’s Metro Pacific group, sends about 80,000 cubic meters to COWD daily, constituting about 40% of the city’s water needs.

Hapitan also said Rio Verde was willing to take the place of COBI permanently if the bulk water supply contract between COBI and COWD is terminated.

Cagayan de Oro Mayor Rolando Uy created a special task force on March 6 to look into the dispute between COWD and COBI, as well as scrutinize their contract to see if provisions in it were disadvantageous to the city’s water consumers.

Hapitan said he assured Uy in a meeting about their willingness to step in. On January 4, he said, his company submitted a letter of intent, detailing the firm’s plan to lay distribution pipes so it can directly supply tap water to consumers.

He said this would make up for a possible termination of Rio Verde’s 25-year bulk water supply agreement with COBI.

Rio Verde has made the agreement with COBI from 2022 till 2047, which can be extended if both parties so decide.

COBI’s senior legal counsel, Roberto Rodrigo, said Rio Verde can take steps to cancel their 25-year agreement as long as the proper legal steps are taken by the latter.

However, Rodrigo said the termination of the COBI-Rio Verde contract was unlikely, and that the company he represents was still looking forward to settling its dispute with COWD.

Earlier, Rodrigo called on the COWD to address the “ongoing challenges in their partnership,” which, he said, negatively impacted COBI’s financial standing.

In a statement, Rodrigo said that aside from the non-payment of the P426 million, delays of COWD in settling monthly invoices, exceeding the contractual time frame by around 30 to 45 days, has affected COBI’s ability to fulfill its financial obligations to banks and suppliers.

The COWD has refused to acknowledge the debt, asserting that much of the amount consists of rate adjustments implemented without their consent.

The 2017 contract of COWD and COBI provides automatic adjustments to bulk water rates effective from January 2021 through December 2023 and subsequently from January 2024.

The COWD management said they had appealed to COBI not to implement the 2021 rate increase due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic at that time.

Rodrigo, however, said that it was only last year that they came to know that COWD was invoking the force majeure clause in their contract.

He said COWD had only asked that collection of the rate adjustment be collected at a later date because of the pandemic. – Rappler.com

JB Deveza, a communications teacher at Xavier University and former editor-in-chief of the now defunct SunStar-Cagayan de Oro, is an Aries Rufo Journalism fellow for 20223-2024.

A Rappler investigation discovered three properties estimated to be worth $6.10 million (P338 million)* owned by individuals with close links to Quiboloy and the KOJC. Two of these are in Canada, while one is located in an affluent part of Los Angeles in California, near the homes of several celebrities.

The details are based on official documents obtained by Rappler on Monday, March 11, as well as information from sources privy to KOJC operations.

The discoveries came after former president Rodrigo Duterte was appointed caretaker of the properties belonging to the Quiboloy-led group. Besides the North American properties, there are also several landholdings in the Philippines, as well as an air fleet.

Quiboloy, as described by his mentor, Reverend Gordon Mallory of the United Pentecostal Church, “went from a pauper, a beggar, to a multi-billionaire,” with a “lifestyle of the rich and famous.”

“Money means nothing to him,” Mallory said.

Quiboloy has been in the US Federal Bureau of Investigation’s most-wanted list since early 2022, for sex trafficking of children and promotional money laundering, among others. An FBI poster says the preacher is also wanted for forcing members to “solicit donations for a bogus charity, donations that actually were used to finance church operations and the lavish lifestyle of its leaders.”

A Senate committee has cited him in contempt and has sought his arrest so he could testify before the panel which is looking into similar allegations of abuse and exploitation hurled by his former followers.

Quiboloy’s mansions

In a video posted on The Pentecostals of Cebu City Facebook page on January 30, Mallory said Quiboloy owns mansions and estates “all over the world,” confirming the one in California.

Mallory recalled being invited and brought to the California mansion with his wife, and seeing Quiboloy’s vehicles in the garage, which included a “brand new Bentley and a Mercedes.” He said the Filipino preacher also gave him a box that contained cash more than what his family needed to last six months.

“Justin Bieber has a house across the street; the Kardashians have a house down the street; Will Smith lives around the corner,” said Mallory who recalled the time he was invited to Quiboloy’s mansion.

The mansion stands on Simpson Place, a quiet residential neighborhood located in Calabasas, California. Known for its upscale homes, lush landscaping, and privacy afforded its residents, the area offers easy access to amenities and outdoor activities.

Calabasas, located in Los Angeles County, is known for its affluent neighborhoods and celebrity residents. Nestled in the hills west of the San Fernando Valley, it offers a mix of luxury homes, gated communities, and scenic hiking trails. The city also boasts of upscale shopping centers.

The six-bedroom Calabasas property is valued at US$2.573 million (P142.80 million), based on 2023 tax records seen by Rappler. Its land value was estimated to amount to US$1.19 million (P65.91 million) while improvements done to the property were pegged at US$1.39 million (P76.93 million). The owners paid a total of $29,409.94 (P1.63 million) in property taxes for the fiscal year 2023-2024. 

Sold to associates?

The property was built in 1993 but was first bought by the KOJC in 2011 for US$2.1 million (P116.55 million), according to information obtained by Rappler. Since then, its ownership has been transferred four times among three entities – the KOJC, Helen Panilag, and Guia Cabactulan. 

The last documented transaction was in 2018 when Cabactulan appeared to have bought the property from the church for an undisclosed price.

Panilag and Cabactulan are, however, known church associates of Quiboloy, and were among those indicted along with the preacher, by a federal grand jury in a California district court in late 2021. 

Panilag is included in the US Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) most wanted list, alongside Quiboloy. She has been tagged by the FBI as “the alleged one-time church administrator in the [US] who oversaw the collection of financial data from church operations around the globe.” She has also been wanted for her alleged “participation in a labor trafficking scheme that brought church members” to the US, including fraudulently obtaining visas and forcing members to solicit donations.

Cabactulan, meanwhile, has been described as “the top KOJC official in the United States who maintained direct communication with KOJC leadership in the Philippines.” She was arrested in January 2020 in the US for immigration fraud.

Another KOJC member included in the FBI’s wanted list – Teresita Dandan – was registered as a resident of the Calabasas property since May 2012. Dandan, according to the FBI, served as the alleged “international administrator,” and one of the top overseers of the church and its alleged bogus charity operations in the US. 

Former KOJC workers, who turned against Quiboloy, said the preacher bought the mansion in 2011 and sold it sometime in October 2018, months after authorities held his private plane, where they found a suitcase containing US$350,000 (P19.4 million) in undeclared cash and assorted gun parts, in Hawaii. As it turns out, the buyer in 2018 is also a member of the KOJC.

“I’ve been to that mansion,” Arlene Caminong-Stone, a former KOJC worker based in Minnesota, told Rappler on Sunday, March 11. Stone was one of those who testified online against Quiboloy at the start of the Senate panel hearings in January, narrating details about the alleged abuses by the preacher and providing insights into the inner workings of the KOJC.

Surrey property

According to former KOJC workers, Quiboloy also bought mansions in Canada. One is an over P99-million house in Surrey, and another on Latania Boulevard in Brampton City in Ontario’s Greater Toronto Area.

The seven-bedroom property in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada is about half an hour away from Vancouver. It was first built in 2003, and is just a 15-minute drive from a KOJC church on 13055 Old Yale Road, also in Surrey. 

Based on tax records seen by Rappler, the Surrey property was assessed to be worth CAD$2.42 million (US$1.79 million/P99.5 million) in 2023. Its land value was estimated to be worth CAD$1.68 million (US$1.25 million/P69 million) and improvements done on the property cost CAD$734,000 (US$544,197/P30.17 million). 

The owners paid CAD$7,297.54 (US$5,410/P300,000) in gross taxes for 2023. 

A document obtained by Rappler from the Land Title and Survey Authority of British Columbia shows that the property is owned by another known Quiboloy associate, Mariteo Canada. Her name was cited in an article posted on Quiboloy’s website. She was also tagged as part of Quiboloy’s delegation in an event with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples in 2022.

Ontario property

The four-bedroom property in Brampton, Ontario is situated along Latania Boulevard, a half-hour car ride to Toronto. Houses in the area are priced not less than CAD$1 million each, according to real estate websites. 

The alleged Quiboloy-linked property was first listed as being for sale in April 2010 for CAD$699,000 (US$518,243/P27.73 million) and was sold the same year for CAD$658,000 (US$487,826/P27 million). 

The property was last listed as being available in September 2020 for CAD$1.45 million (US$1.74 million/P96.25 million) but with no indication whether it was successfully sold. Taxes paid were estimated to be CAD$7,721 (US$5,723/P317,249). 

According to a property document obtained by Rappler, one of the two listed owners is linked to the KOJC. Her profile on LinkedIn showed that she is an “administrative assistant” of the church. A cursory search of other names included in the document also showed connections to Quiboloy’s group.

The property is half an hour’s drive from the nearest KOJC headquarters.

Notable Davao properties

Quiboloy’s group has been open about many of their properties, especially those in the Philippines.

Among the notable properties owned by the group are well-manicured estates in the village of Tamayong in Calinan District in Davao. Tamayong serves as the KOJC’s headquarters and is where the preacher built his mansion, near the group’s so-called Prayer Mountain.

Aside from the approximately eight-hectare Prayer Mountain, Quiboloy’s group also owns what they refer to as Glory Mountain, roughly a 21-hectare property, in the same village.

According to KOJC workers, Quiboloy has landholdings in Samal Island city, and at Purok 8, Barangay San Miguel in Indangan Buhangin, Davao City, where the preacher set up the main headquarters of the allegedly bogus charity group, the Children’s Joy Foundation.

Quiboloy’s group also owns the Jose Maria College (JMC), and an unfinished multi-billion-peso mixed-use indoor arena, touted to dwarf the close to P9-billion Iglesia ni Cristo Philippine Arena in Bulacan. Located near Davao’s Francisco Bangoy International Airport, the King Dome, according to a November 2019 Sunstar report, was envisioned to be the biggest indoor arena “with a seating capacity of 70,000, bigger than the Philippine Arena, which is currently the world’s largest indoor arena with a maximum seating capacity of 55,000.”

Aircraft fleet

ApolloAir, a Davao-based airline owned by Quiboloy, maintains an aircraft fleet that includes Bell 429 and 505 light helicopters, a Robinson R44 four-seat light helicopter, and two planes.

Senator Robinhood Padilla told reporters on Thursday, March 7, that Quiboloy lent him one of his helicopters when he campaigned for a Senate seat in 2022.

One plane, a US$18-million (P999 million) Cessna Citation Sovereign+, was bought in 2014 and was sold back to Cessna for US$9 million (P499.5 million) after the 2018 Hawaii incident. Another is a Gulfstream IIB transcontinental twin turbofan-powered aircraft, which was decommissioned in 2010 because it was no longer airworthy.

Generous friend

Quiboloy has been very generous toward his friends, especially Duterte, his new property administrator, with whom he forged a friendship dating back to the years preceding the latter’s presidency.

In 2016, Duterte openly acknowledged being gifted by Quiboloy with three properties in Woodridge Park in Ma-a, along with an additional lot in Royal Pines located in Matina, Davao City. Aside from real estate holdings, Duterte disclosed that Quiboloy had also gifted him with a Nissan Safari and Ford Expedition several years prior.

Duterte said Quiboloy was so generous that whenever the preacher made a purchase, he would buy two so he could give him the other one.

He also recalled that Quiboloy had even offered to cover the expenses for the then-mayor’s consultation with a known American neurosurgeon, Dr. Martin Cooper, after the preacher learned about his sweaty palms.

Preacher’s roots

Quiboloy has humble beginnings, starting as a 19-year-old Pentecostal convert in the late 1960s, recalled Reverend Mallory who claimed to have mentored the then-young preacher long before he started building his religious empire.

“We took him out of a hut…. He and his family used to beg for food…. His teeth were rotten and we took him to a dentist,” the aging Mallory, preaching, told his congregation.

The American preacher said Quiboloy lived with him for eight years, and they sent him to a Bible school where he excelled. Years later, Quiboloy declared himself the “appointed son of God,” and has repeatedly claimed that without him, there will be no eternal salvation.

“He developed into a wonderful preacher and became our national youth president…. But somewhere along the line, he tripped up, left our organization, formed his own, and became something he really isn’t, but he really started to lift himself up…. He turned his back on the apostolic truth,” Mallory said.

Quiboloy traces his roots to the ultraconservative Oneness Pentecostal movement that began in the early 20th century, particularly in the US. It emphasizes a monotheistic view of God, departing from the conventional doctrine of the Trinity. 

Oneness Pentecostals maintain their belief in a singular divine being who reveals himself in three manifestations, as opposed to the orthodox Christian concept of the Trinity consisting of three distinct persons. 

Quiboloy has admitted to going into hiding even before Philippine authorities could issue an arrest order, citing purported threats of assassination. – Rappler.com

*$1 = P55.5

If you have tips about properties linked to Apollo Quiboloy and the KOJC or any other helpful information, you may share them with us via email: investigative@rappler.com.

Captain Larry Mahlin, Kadingilan police chief, said one of the victims, identified as Rey Gallardo of Valencia City, was pulled out from the cave by rescuers in the morning.

Mahlin said they have yet to account for the three remaining miners who are presumed dead inside the cave in Sitio Tinago, Barangay Cabadiangan.

“We are also waiting for a ladder to lower the body bags into the cave,” Mahlin said.

He said the victims were part of a group of eight treasure hunters who went inside the cave, searching for the fabled Yamashita treasure on Sunday, March 10.

A nearby police station sent distress radio messages, seeking help from organized rescuers after learning that the hunters needed assistance, Mahlin said.

Robert John Laguna, a member of the Kadingilan Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, said they did not enter the cave because of dangerous levels of carbon monoxide inside. (A previous version of this story stated that the cave “reeked of carbon monoxide.” Carbon monoxide is odorless. This has been corrected. – Editors)

Laguna said the cave is also known for a labyrinth of passages that pose potential risks to rescuers who are unfamiliar with it. – Rappler.com

Bill No. 271 was filed by Bangsamoro Parliament Member Ali Montaha Babao from Lanao del Sur, seeking to create a new municipality called Saripada by carving out 11 of the 26 barangays in the progressive second-class town.

The bill seeks to establish the seat of the new municipality of Pilintangan in Barangay Pilintangan. The 11 barangays to be included in the new town are Balatin, Buntongan, Buot, East Kilikili, Kadingilan, Mimbuaya, Muslim Village, Panang, Park Area, Pilintangan, and Western Poblacion.

Many residents fear a return to the violent past of Wao, where Christian settlers fought against the Moros, who were the original occupants.

Thirty-five-year-old Joana Pallorina watched from the store where she was working as indignant residents rallied in the town plaza and denounced the proposed law that seeks the creation of a new municipality from 11 barangays of Wao.

“There will be trouble here if that bill is passed,” Pallorina said.

Wao town Mayor Elvino Balicao Jr. said the creation of the new municipality from these 11 barangays, which have predominantly Muslim residents, would create misunderstanding, disunity, and distrust among Christian and Muslim residents.

Aside from that, Balicao said the division would leave many government buildings to the new town, reducing Wao to a third-class municipality.

“This will slow down the growth of Wao due to the reduction of land area, decline in business activity resulting in lower revenues, and the reduction of the National Tax Allocation (NTA),” Balicao said.

However, it is the town’s violent past that scares most residents.

Pallorina said Christians and Muslims fought against each other in the bloodiest communal violence recorded in the 1970s.

She said her family, who hails from Pampanga in Luzon, fought against the Muslims and wants to forget that harrowing history.

Pallorina said the violence started when Moro residents demanded the return of the lands.

“I have to make plans to go back to Pampanga if there would be renewed fighting,” Pallorina said.

Another Wao resident, Arjay Turio, recalled the bloody events when the late former president Ferdinand Marcos created the municipality of Amai Manabilang, carved from the town of Wao.

Presidential Decree No. 1243, signed by the late president, resulted in heavy fighting between Christian settlers and Moro residents.

“Muslims looked at Christians as land grabbers while Christians branded Muslims as criminals. We do not want that to happen again in the future,” Turio said.

Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Deputy Floor Leader Mary Ann Arnado said the bill filed by Babao was still on the first reading in the Bangsamoro parliament.

Arnado said Babao had been urging for the bill to be discussed in the second reading, but it had not gained support from fellow parliament members.

“It will not gain any support despite Babao’s urging, considering the pain it has caused to Wao residents,” Arnado said.

Arnado said the BTA will find time to go to Wao to assure the residents that the parliament will not be instrumental in dividing the town.

BTA members Rasul Enderez and Rasol Mitmog also echoed Arnado’s sentiments, adding they will move to kill the bill during their session. – Rappler.com

Judge Emmanuel Carpio on Friday, March 8, acquitted Sotero “Jun” Jacolbe as the prosecution failed to prove that he participated in the killing of Dizon.

Lawyer Vicente Andiano, one of the Jacolbe’s counsels, told reporters in a news conference, “The prosecution failed to establish the guilt of the accused by proof beyond a reasonable doubt, and the court acquits Jacolbe of the crime of murder.”

Dizon, 58, a radio commentator for Brigada News FM in Kidapawan City, was driving his car on his way home when he was ambushed on July 10, 2019.

“The truth has finally come out. I am vindicated,” Jacolbe said during the same news conference on Friday.

Jacolbe was charged before the court on September 18, 2019, but voluntarily surrendered to authorities after his warrant of arrest was out. He was granted temporary freedom after posting a bail bond on December 17, 2019, and resumed his work as a broadcaster.

 On Friday, Jacolbe told reporters that he was still confused as to why he was dragged into the case.

With Jacolbe’s acquittal, two suspects – Dante Tabusares, the coordinator of the KAPA (Kabus Padatuon) Community Ministry International, and a certain Junell Jane Andagkit Poten – remain scot-free. – Rappler.com

Republished with permission from Newsline Philippines.

Of the 2,123 voters, 2,121 voted in the affirmative to ratify the creation of the new barangays, while only two voted no. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said the overall voter turnout was 93.73%.

The plebiscite’s results effectively created these new villages:

• Barangay Sultan Corobong (created from Barangay Dulay Proper)
• Barangay Sultan Panoroganan (created from Barangay Kilala)
• Barangay Angoyao (created from Barangay Patani)

The Comelec said all eight clustered precincts in three voting centers in barangays Dulay, Kilala, and Patani promptly opened and functioned at 7 am, and closed at 3 pm. The counting and proclamation of results followed afterward.

Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia, Comelec commissioners Aimee Ferolino and Ernesto Ferdinand Maceda Jr., and other poll officials monitored the plebiscite on the ground.

“The COMELEC extends its gratitude to all its partner agencies which made the conduct of these Plebiscites orderly, peaceful and secure, namely the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), with the full support of the Marawi City Local Government Unit,” the country’s poll body said in a statement.

Earlier, the poll body explained that the number of residents in the three mother barangays increased in recent years, which paved the way for the creation of new villages. The country’s local government code states that a new village may be created from an existing one if the said territory has at least 2,000 residents.

The three barangays were the latest addition to the city. In March 2023, Marawi City residents also voted to approve the creation of two new barangays: Barangay Boganga II and Barangay Datu Dalidigan. – with reports from Dwight de Leon/ Rappler.com