MANILA, Philippines — About 2,000 policemen stormed the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound in Davao City on Saturday morning in a bid to serve the arrest warrant against fugitive Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.

The troops came from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Regional Office XI (Davao).

Social media posts confirmed the presence of the PNP at the entrance of the KOJC compound in the Buhangin District.

They were in place before dawn, surprising many of the followers of Quiboloy.

Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, PNP Region XI director, in a later interview aired over DZBB radio said that they planned to force their way into the compound.

Police then entered the compound at around 5:27 a.m.

PRO 11 said 2,000 cops from Regions X (Northern Mindanao), XI (Davao), XII (SOCCSKSARGEN), and XIII (Caraga) were deployed for the operation.

Photos and videos from the group's media arm, Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) and lawyer, Israelito Torreon, showed policemen tackling KOJC missionaries.

SMNI said a man died of a heart attack during the operation.

"Sir, is your plan to enter the compound whether we like it or not?" Torreon asked Torre in Filipino during the raid.

"You can complain if this is an illegal operation. We will enter even if we have certification from whoever ordered it," Torre said.

Torreon also said he could not enter the premises, because the officers blocked it.

"Even I can't enter, sir?" he posted on Facebook on Saturday.

He claimed that the operation was illegal.

It was not clear as of posting time whether the warrant has been served to Quiboloy.