SIS. Sonia Advincula has been a part of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) for 32 years now, but not once has she experienced anything like what had happened on June 10.
Sis. Sonia is the KOJC’s Deputy Administrator for Glory Mountain. Here, the authorities tore down their gate, raided the place illegally and even handcuffed some members.
For the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, the Glory Mountain is one of the most sacred sanctuaries because of its significance in the congregation’s establishment as well as the spiritual journey of its founder who is none other than Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy.
That’s why when the authorities raided the said place on the 10th of June, this caused deep wounds in the hearts not only the members who were present at the time of the raids but for the millions of KOJC members all over the world.
“And that is what is really being taught to us – that all places, no matter where it is, that’s the reason why we say this is our place – we will surely make it better. Then, all of a sudden, here they come arriving just like that – they destroyed our place.”
“I really saw how they desecrated the place we looked after. Blood and sweat are invested there. This is too much. That’s why we can’t accept it,” according to Sis. Sonia Advincula, Deputy Administrator for Glory Mountain, Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
Every time Sis. Sonia recalls the bitter experience, it’s as if she’s getting stabbed in the heart all over again.
This is also the same pain Bro. Albert Labandera shares, one of the caretakers of the Glory Mountain.
“We looked after that [place]. Me, I’m a witness because Pastor goes up to the Glory Mountain. Pastor said we must make the Glory Mountain better, beautify it, make it like a paradise. I’m a man, I do not cry but with what they did, they destroyed the gate, my brothers and sisters, they destroyed our home – a symbol, they destroyed it,” expressed Bro. Albert Labandera, Full-Time Missionary Worker, Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
According to Bro. Albert, they assured the authorities that they will be allowed to enter the compound and even be accompanied when inside. In fact, they requested the authorities to wait for their lawyer. But this ended up in the desecration of a very symbolic and holy place in the Kingdom.
“They destroyed the gate. Then, when they entered, my brothers and sisters, they carelessly spat. Some even urinated on the wall, my brothers and sisters. That is why we don’t want our place to be desecrated because it is holy. We do not allow this, my brothers and sisters. That’s why during that time, my brothers and sisters, I said, “where’s the justice?” Bro. Albert added.
Police not given proper seminar, training before raiding KOJC compounds
The sacred and symbolic places of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ that were raided by the authorities is equivalent to the Vatican for the Catholics, Mecca for the Muslims or Temple Mount for the Jews.
Atty. Israelito Torreon, Legal Counsel of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, is a Muslim and he cannot imagine if this ever happens to their places of worship which are called masjids or mosques.
“If you did that in a masjid, you enter a masjid, you urinate on [the walls of] a masjid, oh dear… we Muslims, if you ever do that, you already know the answer to that,” stated Atty. Israelito Torreon, Legal Counsel, Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
Atty. Torreon stressed that the authorities should have first been given proper seminar and training before they were sent to raid the KOJC compounds. It should have also been made clear to them that these places are sacred places.
Before the Kingdom of Jesus Christ acquired what it now calls the ‘Glory Mountain’, it used to be a denuded area – barely any trees in sight.
But because of the love of Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy, not only for humanity but also nature, the state of the mountain was restored to its original beauty by the Sonshine Philippines Movement – one of the arms of the KOJC.
Indigenous Peoples extremely offended by authorities raiding KOJC compounds
Even the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) were deeply hurt by the what had happened on the 10th of June because the Glory Mountain is their ancestral domain – it is a place where they themselves also live.
The Peace and Reconciliation Shrine of Datu Diarog’s Tribe and the KOJC can be found inside the Glory Mountain. For so many years, leftist groups had deceived the IPs to go against Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy.
The desecration of the KOJC compounds by the authorities is no ordinary event. Because of this, Sis. Eleanor Cardona, Executive Secretary of the KOJC said that it is necessary to have a reconciliation and rededication of the KOJC’s sacred places in order to pray for the healing of the wounds of each member of the Kingdom.
