Police carry concealed equipment to search notorious fugitive pastor in religious compound in the Philippines

Police carried concealed equipment to search for a notorious fugitive pastor wanted by the FBO who is allegedly hiding in a religious compound in the Philippines.

Video shows officers rushing to deliver two black boxes containing unidentified items into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) 'sex cult' complex - said to have housed a harem of female devotees - in Davao del Sur province on August 30.

Members of the alleged cult said the equipment did not go through security scans and claimed police were hunting for gold within the 30-hectare property instead of conducting a manhunt.

Philippine National Police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jerick Filosofo said: 'There is no basis for that. We are there just to implement a warrant of arrest against Pastor Quiboloy. Those are just tools technically to help us locate him.'

Police believe the embattled religious leader was still in the compound, despite claims by his legal counsel that he had already fled the premises in March.

More than 2,000 cops were deployed to serve an arrest warrant for the fugitive pastor who leads the 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 had squared off against the police on August 24, 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 brought 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.