DAVAO businessmen expressed concern over the weekend that the prolonged confrontation between more than 2,000 policemen and followers of fugitive evangelist Apollo Quiboloy could hurt the city's economic development and growth.

The police remained inside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KoJC) compound in Davao City for the seventh day as they continued to search for Quiboloy, who is wanted for sexual abuse of children and human trafficking.

"The situation poses potential challenges not only for the business sector but for the community at large if not addressed promptly and effectively," the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII) said in a statement.

The DCCCII said they "uphold the rule of law and the principles of fair justice" and look for a peaceful resolution of the matter.

Quiboloy, an ally and spiritual adviser of former president Rodrigo Duterte, has gone into hiding since March, when charges were filed against him in two courts — one in Pasig and the other in Davao.

Members of his Davao-based church have been in a tense standoff with police since they raided the KoJC compound on August 24.

Police kept up the pressure on the KoJC compound by declaring they would stay there until Quiboloy was captured or surrendered.

Israelito Torreon, legal counsel of the group, said that the KoJC Board of Administrators had assured police repeatedly that Quiboloy was not in the vast compound.

Torreon added that he had not seen nor heard from the KoJC founder since March. He said he had no clue as to Quiboloy's whereabouts.

The Philippine National Police said it had already inspected almost half of the KoJC 30-hectare compound.

PNP spokesman Col. Jean Fajardo said based on a report by Davao police regional office director BGen. Nicolas Torre III, "close to 40 to 50 percent [of the compound] has been inspected.

Fajardo noted that the police are zeroing in on the "specific areas" of the suspected underground facility where Quiboloy is believed to be hiding.

"We are looking at an underground facility made out of thick stones, thick metals," she said.

Fajardo added that the underground facility "was built and made to withstand any natural or man-made disaster.

"We have specific areas, but I hope you understand that we could not give the specific [areas] so as not to telegraph [our moves]," she said.

Also on Saturday, Davao regional police spokesman Maj. Catherine de la Rey condemned the actions of KoJC members who allegedly pointed laser devices at PNP helicopters.

De la Rey urged the members of the religious group to stop such actions for the safety of all parties, saying that the PNP was just performing its duties.

However, Torreon said the PNP had no evidence that members of the KoJC committed such acts.

"It is even probable that a PNP member did that simply because of the fact that their presence here is overwhelming and the KoJC members have no capacity to do that," he said.

Torreon said that even if the KoJC members committed the acts, it might have been done due to "desperation and frustration" due to the continued PNP presence in the KoJC compound.

"The PNP is already here for seven days (as of Friday), and they have practically converted this very sacred property and very nice property into a police garrison, and right now they are undergoing jack-hammering and paneling operations below the empty basement, and we could not even have accessed the scene," he said.

Arrest warrants were issued by Davao and Pasig courts against Quiboloy and others for alleged violations of the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act, as well as qualified human trafficking.

Also on Saturday, the Department of Justice (DoJ) said no one in the government could guarantee that Quiboloy would not be extradited to the United States if he were arrested.

The DoJ issued the statement after Quiboloy's camp said that the fugitive pastor made it one of his conditions for surrendering that President Marcos issue a written guarantee that he would not be extradited to the United States, where he is also wanted for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, and sex trafficking of children.

During the Saturday news forum in Quezon City, Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez said the Philippines has an obligation under its extradition treaty with the US, which allows Washington to request a provisional arrest.

"About the guarantee that he is asking [from the government], no one in government can give that guarantee," Vasquez said.

"That is a legal issue that needs to be carefully studied because, in the first place, no government official would want to violate the law. And all our treaties have the force of law once they are signed and concurred in by the Senate. That is part of our legal obligation. And you can just imagine if we renege on our international obligation in favor of an individual," he added.