Around 1.8 million members of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) participated in peace rallies across the Philippines as of Monday noon, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported.
The majority of participants, about 1.5 to 1.6 million, gathered at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila, according to PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo. The event has been described as peaceful and orderly, with no untoward incidents reported so far.
“We thank everyone for heeding our call to keep the rally peaceful. So far, the event has been orderly,” said Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna.
Rally Details and Key Locations
The INC rally began at 8 a.m. at Quirino Grandstand and other key locations nationwide, including:
- Ilagan City Sports Complex
- Provincial Capitol in Palawan
- Sawangan Park, Legazpi City
- Freedom Grandstand, Bacolod City
- Ormoc City Plaza, Leyte
- South Road Properties, Cebu City
- Pagadian City Proper, Zamboanga del Sur
- Plaza Divisoria, Cagayan de Oro City
- San Pedro Square, Davao City
- Butuan Sports Complex, Agusan del Norte
The PNP deployed 8,000 personnel to secure the event.
Malacañang and INC Messages of Unity
Malacañang expressed hope that the “National Rally for Peace” would bring clarity to the nation’s issues. Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin emphasized the constitutional right to peaceful assembly, calling it a cornerstone of democracy.
INC members called for unity amid growing political tension in the country. Participants, such as Vanessa Abela from Lucena and 16-year-old Ivan from Bulacan, expressed concerns over the potential impact of political conflicts, including the impeachment moves against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Emma Flores, a 66-year-old attendee, shared, “We’re here to call for unity and peace. We don’t want chaos in our country.”
Roy, a wheelchair-bound participant from Tarlac, echoed support for President Marcos, saying, “We support the President’s decision. We don’t want impeachment.”
Impeachment Complaints Against Duterte
Three impeachment complaints have been filed against Vice President Sara Duterte. In response, Duterte welcomed the move, stating that the proceedings would allow her to address the allegations directly.