THE Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 39 found a leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) guilty of resisting authorities and sentenced him to jail.
In a seven-page decision dated April 23, which Metropolitan Manila Development Authority general manager Nicolas Torre III made public on his Facebook page on Friday, the court, through Presiding Judge Juvenal Bella, found Eduardo Sapar Corda guilty of violating Section 13(a) of Batas Pambansa Bilang 880, or the Public Assembly Act of 1985, which bans assemblies or rallies without a permit. Corda was sentenced to four months in prison.
“Constitutional liberties do not exist in a vacuum. While the State protects the right to peaceful assembly as a cornerstone of democracy, it simultaneously holds the police power to regulate such activities to safeguard public safety and order,” the ruling read.
“When the exercise of free expression transcends the bounds of its legal authorization and encroaches upon the fundamental right of the public to safe and unobstructed passage, the law provides for a necessary reckoning. This case stands as a testament to that delicate balance between individual liberty and collective security,” it added.
The ruling read that Corda unlawfully commanded and held a public assembly and shouted in support of KOJC leader Apollo Quiboloy along the Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway in Davao City, which led to a standoff on Aug. 26, 2024.
Authorities at the time were trying to arrest Quiboloy.
“Eduardo Sapar Corda testified that his presence was strictly ministerial and missionary in nature. He claimed he intended to ensure the safety of their members. He denied organizing the rally or blockade, asserting the megaphone use was limited to advising members to remain calm,” the court said.
However, Patrolman Joshua Acuña said that 30 people “illegally assembled along the national highway” and identified Corda as the leader of the rally.
“They identified the accused as the leader directing the group with a megaphone, commanding the protesters to stay despite dispersal orders. They further noted that the crowd threw waste at the police line,” the court said.
Some policemen also said that the highway assembly was unauthorized, and members blocked the road, and burned tires.
Torre, who served the arrest warrant on Quiboloy while he was Davao Regional Police Office chief, said it is neither a celebration nor revenge, but the implementation of the rule of law.
“During the implementation of the warrant of arrest against Quiboloy, some people chose to break the law — setting up barricades, blocking roads and using chaos as a weapon,” Torre wrote in Filipino.
“Now, the court has decided. Guilty. There is punishment. There is accountability. This is how it should be. Noise cannot be used as a defense. Volume cannot be used as an exemption. And influence certainly cannot be used as a license. If it’s illegal, it’s illegal,” he added.
“And this is what everyone should understand: If ordinary citizens are required to follow the law, then those in power must do so even more,” Torre said.
Quiboloy, an ally of former president Rodrigo Duterte who is wanted by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, was arrested on Sept. 8, 2024, and is currently facing non-bailable charges of qualified human trafficking and sexual abuse.
