The Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) emphasized that its three-day “Rally for Transparency and a Better Democracy” is a call for the end of corruption — demanding immediate and concrete solutions from the national government — while clarifying that it does not seek to overthrow the current administration.
INC officials made the statement after the first day of the rally at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila, which drew over 630,000 participants per crowd monitoring by the Manila Police District (MPD).
“Gusto naming maging maliwanag sa lahat, hindi po natin hinahangad ang pagbagsak ng ating pamahalaan bilang institusyon…Ang nais natin ay ang pagbagsak ng katiwalian. Ang nais natin ay ang pagtataguyod ng isang pamahalaang tapat at makamamamayan,” INC general evangelist Bienvenido Santiago Jr. explained.
“Yung masasamang pinuno, ‘yung mga tiwaling opisyal, ‘yan ang dapat alisin…hindi po ‘yung pamahalaang gumagarantiya sa kalayaan ng mga mamamayan. Kaya mga kababayan, malinaw ang ating pinaninindigan,” he added.
Santiago stressed that the three-day protest calls for transparency and accountability and not intended to sow chaos and put a color in politics.
“Nanawagan tayo sa mga nasa pamahalaan…Ayaw na natin ng mga salita at pangakong walang laman. Konkretong hakbang ang kailangan para ibangon ang dangal ng ating mahal na bansa. Hindi tayo laban sa maayos na pamahalaan, tayo ay laban sa katiwalian…Hangga’t hindi natutunton at hindi napapanagot ang mga mastermind sa korapsyon, itutuloy ang ating pagmamatyag at pananawagan sa mapayapang paraan,” the evangelist noted.
On Sunday, the INC barred a group of pro-Duterte rallyists from joining the gathering at the Quirino Grandstand because the placards they were carrying were calling for President Marcos Jr.’s resignation.
The rallyists opted to hold their own demonstration at Liwasang Bonifacio.
The religious group said their protest at the Quirino Grandstand will last until Tuesday, Nov. 18. (Patrick Garcia)
