Standoff as police close in on 'Son of God' in Philippines

MANILA, Aug 26 (BBC): A standoff has erupted in the Philippines as thousands of police officers descended on a sprawling religious compound in search of an influential pastor who has been accused of child sex trafficking amongst other crimes.

Police say they will not leave until they have found Apollo Quiboloy, who calls himself the "appointed Son of God". He is believed to be hiding inside his 30 hectare (75 acres) complex, which houses some 40 buildings, including a cathedral, a school and even a hangar.

Authorities have been on the hunt for Mr Quiboloy for months. He had earlier said he would "not be caught alive".

Police raided the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound late on Saturday, with reports saying they later used tear gas against Mr Quiboloy's followers who had become "unruly and violent", Davao police spokesperson Major Catherina dela Rey told news outlet Rappler.

Hundreds of Mr Quiboloy's followers have blocked parts of a major highway in an attempt to disrupt traffic to the compound. They maintain his innocence, saying allegations against him are fabricated.

One supporter of the group died from a heart attack during the police raid. Police believe Mr Quiboloy is hiding in an underground bunker based on equipment that is believed to be able to detect people behind walls based on their heartbeat, said Maj dela Rey.

Mr Quiboloy's KOJC claims to have seven million followers and he has grown his ministry through television, radio and social media.

He is also politically influential and serves as spiritual adviser to former President Rodrigo Duterte, whose family rules Davao city politics. Since Mr Duterte stepped down in 2022, authorities have been pursuing charges against Mr Quiboloy.

He is accused of trafficking his followers to the US to solicit donations for bogus charities. He also allegedly required his female followers, some underage, to have sex with him as a religious duty.

He has said that the "devil" was behind his legal woes. He has also said that he does not want the US Federal Bureau of Investigation to "meddle" in his case.

Mr Quiboloy said in April that he was "preserving" himself by hiding from authorities. "I am not hiding from the charges because I am guilty. That's not true. I am just protecting myself," he said.