President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday (September 9) insisted that his imminent arrest by the police forced controversial religious sect leader Apollo

Quiboloy to surrender.

Marcos aired this comment while admitting that the eruption of violence, with Quiboloy’s fanatic followers committing mass suicide, may have partly prompted the Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder to surface.

“Napilitan siyang lumabas dahil malapit na ang pulis sa kanya. To his credit, ang sabi niya iyong mga followers niya magpapakamatay para sa kanya at ayaw niyang mangyari ito,” the chief executive stated during a media interview a few hours after Quiboloy raised the white flag.

Marcos said the Bible preacher who is facing numerous sex and human trafficking cases appeared to still display a “modicum of leadership to his followers.”

Earlier, Quiboloy’s lawyer claimed that his client committed the “supreme sacrifice” of turning himself in to authorities in order to avert bloodshed at the vast KoJC compound in Davao City.

Armed with a warrant for the pastor;’s arrest, police forces led by Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III have been scouring the KoJC headquarters for days, triggering tension between them and religious sect followers of Quiboloy.

Marcos lauded the police and military units that launched a massive manhunt for Quiboloy who has been ordered arrested by the courts, the Senate and the House of Representatives for various reasons, including the filing of criminal complaints against him.

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation has also launched a manhunt for Quiboloy to serve a federal Grand Jury’s arrest warrant against Quiboloy. However, no extradition request has been sent by the US government since the arrest orders were released in 2023.

“It was a very involved police action, augmented by the AFP, augmented by the civilian arms of the government,” said Marcos.