Police find 'secret passages' in sick Filipino sex cult compound

Police have found a labyrinth of secret passages in a sprawling religious compound said to be a sex den for a fugitive Filipino pastor wanted by the FBI for alleged child trafficking and other crimes.

Cops reportedly discovered hidden rooms in a cathedral at the vast 30-hectare compound owned by controversial preacher Apollo Quiboloy, 74, in Davao City, the Philippines, on August 29.

One of the passages reportedly linked the side of the cathedral platform to a lavishly decorated lounge, while officers uncovered even more rooms under construction at the complex.

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said in a press conference on Thursday: 'We are obtaining the blueprints from the engineering office of Davao City. It's a violation. Why is it not declared? All of the intricate things built there that could serve as hiding places.'

More than 2,000 cops were deployed to serve an arrest warrant for the religious figure who leads the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) - a Christian sect allegedly with seven million members.

His harem of female devotees are said to have performed 'nighttime duties' taking it in turns to sleep with him.

Furious fanatics squared off against the police over the weekend, leading to 18 arrests for obstruction of justice. Six policemen were injured in the clashes.

The KOJC compound was reported to house a labyrinthine network of underground tunnels and passages, and even a hangar with a taxiway leading to the Davao International Airport.

Police Major Catherine dela Rey, spokesperson for Police Regional Office XI, said: 'Based on what we detected on our device, we can say that there is an underground facility.'

Davao Police were continuing to bring more monitoring equipment into the estate, including a sound cannon typically used for crowd control.

Quiboloy, who has styled himself an 'Appointed Son of God', is wanted by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation for alleged sex trafficking of children, sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, conspiracy, and bulk cash smuggling. He also allegedly traffics members around the world, with an inner circle of women who perform what they call 'nighttime duties', taking it in turns to sleep with him.

He grew his following through radio, televangelism, and social media.

Quiboloy has ties with the powerful Duterte family ruling local politics in Davao City. He served as spiritual adviser to the vitriolic former President Rodrigo Duterte and allegedly enjoyed the politician's protections until he stepped down in 2022.