Police find 'trafficked underage girls' in Bible school in Philippine sex cult compound

Police found underage girls believed to have been sex trafficked in living quarters at a Bible school in the suspected sex cult compound of a wanted pastor in the Philippines.

Officials said they discovered youngsters staying in rooms surrounding that of controversial preacher Apollo Quiboloy's bedroom at the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) estate in Davao del Sur province on September 2.

Police Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III, regional director of the Philippine National Police Davao Region, said they raided the Bible school following a tip-off that the religious leader had been staying there.

He said: 'Positive, his room was there, though there was no one inside. It was very lavish. Based on the belongings found there, it was a man's room.

'The shoes and clothes matched the body type and size of pastor Quiboloy. The room was surrounded by several smaller rooms used by girls.'

He added that around 15 more girls without their parents or guardians were found in another building near the school.

Police said they were 'possibly' victims of human trafficking.

Quiboloy's legal counsel Israelito Torre denied that the minors were part of the pastor's alleged sex harem.

More than 2,000 cops were deployed to serve an arrest warrant for the fugitive religious figure 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.