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| President Rodrigo Roa Duterte / photo via Manila Bulletin |
After his order to shutdown religious group KAPA Community
Ministry International Inc., President Rodrigo Duterte said he is not worried
about the risk of losing the support of its members.
The President has ordered the closure of KAPA for its
alleged involvement in pyramiding schemes.
The PTV News reported that thousands of KAPA members on
Thursday afternoon joined a prayer rally in General Santos City to appeal
Duterte’s shutdown on the group’s investment operations.
However, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo,
downplayed the KAPA members’ call for reconsideration.
“Ang naririnig lang natin sa TV, iyong mga nagsasalita,
pailan-ilan eh (What we hear on TV, those who have been talking, there are only
a few). There are millions ‘di ba, ang miyembro diyan sabi nila (of members),”
Panelo said in a Palace briefing.
“Eh kung makita mo iyong milyon nasa kalsada, iyon ang (If
there are millions on the streets then) we can say na they are outraged and
they are all against it. Pero kung one, two, three, four lang, hindi naman
natin alam iyon (But if it’s one, two, three four only, we don’t know that),”
he added.
When asked if the President could still change his mind and
reconsider the request from KAPA members, Panelo cited that the religious group
may face charges for large-scale estafa.
“As far as the President is concerned, there’s a continuing
crime of swindling or estafa,” He said
“Na kay Presidente iyan. Pero basta iyan ang line ni (It’s
up to the President. But that’s the line of the) President. Kasi you have to
look at his position. Ang posisyon niya (His position), as far as he is
concerned, there is a continuing crime. Kaya nga pinasarado niya eh (That’s why
he ordered its shutdown),” he added.
The Securities and Exchange Commission earlier called out
the religious group for allegedly soliciting investments thru donations.
Meanwhile, KAPA founder Pastor Joel Apolinario denied the
allegations.
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