More than a million members of influential Christian group Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) gathered in 13 cities in the Philippines, including the capital Manila, to protest against the impeachment cases filed against Vice-President Sara Duterte. -- ST PHOTO: MARIA CEPEDA
MANILA (The Straits Times/ANN): More than a million members of influential Christian group Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) gathered in 13 cities in the Philippines, including the capital Manila, to protest against the impeachment cases filed against Vice-President Sara Duterte.
Nearly 1.8 million INC members flocked to the historic Quirino Grandstand in Manila city and the surrounding streets by late afternoon on Jan 13, according to official estimates.
A similar scene played out in other key cities in the country, in what analysts say is the mega church’s show of force to support the embattled Ms Duterte as her feud with erstwhile ally, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, heats up.
Ms Duterte did not attend the rally in the late afternoon, but she released a video statement on her official Facebook page shortly after the event ended.
“This is a powerful way to show unity and cooperation by those seeking peace for the welfare of our nation,” she said. “Thank you for loving our country”.
Several politicians allied with her made an appearance during the rally. They include senators Ronald dela Rosa, Bong Go, and Robin Padilla; Representative Rodante Marcoleta, an INC member who represents the pro-poor group Sagip in Congress; and a few local officials. Senator Francis Tolentino, who used to be allies with Ms Duterte but has since shifted his support to Mr Marcos, was also at the rally.
The 2.8 million-strong INC wields significant political influence in the Philippines because it is known for bloc voting during elections. Candidates often woo church leaders to secure their support.
The Philippines is set to hold midterm polls in May.
In the 2022 presidential polls, INC backed the now-broken-up pairing of Mr Marcos and Ms Duterte, who ran together on a unity platform.
The protest is also a family day affair for many INC members, with entire clans going on leave from work to atend the gathering in Manila. -- ST PHOTO: MARA CEPEDA
The protesters said the Jan 13 gathering is not a political rally but a call for unity, as they urged the two most powerful Filipino politicians to drop their fight and focus on important issues of the day.
“We want our government to be united. Focus on fixing the problems of the country first instead of impeaching one of our own leaders,” 46-year-old welder Rodel Dayrit told The Straits Times.
Many of the protesters gathered in Manila came from the surrounding provinces aboard vans and buses provided by their church leaders. Some arrived in the wee hours of Jan 13, sleeping inside tents and on mats sprawled across the grounds of Rizal Park, where the grandstand is located.
The protesters were clad in white shirts bearing the official logo for the “National Rally for Peace” and carried printed placards bearing messages like “Peace, not politics” and “Service, not self-interest”.
Several cities in the provinces had to suspend classes at schools and universities, closing off major roads to accommodate the protests.
The rally comes just days after a survey by local pollster Social Weather Stations showed that 41 per cent of Filipinos are backing the three impeachment cases filed against Ms Duterte in late 2024, with 35 per cent opposed and 19 per cent still undecided.
The impeachment cases, filed by various civil society groups, stemmed from the House of Representatives’ investigation in which Ms Duterte was accused of misusing billions in public funds.
Ms Duterte has denied the accusations, but she also shocked the nation when she issued an assassination threat against the President in November 2024. Mr Marcos has distanced himself from the ouster moves backed by his allies in the House, calling it a “storm in a teacup”.
The INC leadership has a nuanced messaging for the rally: They are supporting Mr Marcos’ decision not to support Ms Duterte’s impeachment, church spokesman Edwil Zabala told ST.
“This is our stand: Put the welfare of our country, and of our countrymen, first,” Mr Zabala said. “Disagreements do take place, but we hope that peaceful and decent relations among everyone will return.”
The INC’s position allows the church to take a stand without necessarily antagonising either the Marcos or Duterte camp, political analyst Jean Encinas-Franco told ST.
But she said it puts the Vice-President in a position of strength, which is crucial as the official campaign period for the May midterm polls begins in a month.
“In terms of optics, it means Sara is projecting that she has the support of this group that’s often courted by politicians during election time,” said Dr Franco.
But she doubts the rally alone will be enough to sway more Filipinos to oppose Ms Duterte’s impeachment, noting that the INC’s voting influence is confined to its members only.
But should the INC’s massive rally succeed in boosting support for Ms Duterte in the coming weeks, this could change the power dynamics in her fight with the President, said political analyst Robin Garcia of Manila-based think-tank WR Numero Research.
“It’s a battle of narratives,” Dr Garcia told ST. “If Ms Duterte succeeds (in gaining more public sympathy), Marcos’ endorsing power in the 2025 elections could decrease. But if the opposite happens, it will show her weakness and she could actually be impeached later. - The Straits Times/ANN
