By Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz
The Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) staged lightning rallies on Tuesday, June 30, to defend Sen. Rodante Marcoleta after the Office of the Ombudsman announced plans to file a plunder case against him.
INC spokesperson Edwin Zabala, speaking during a Net 25 program, said the church rejects any “pagbaluktot sa batas” and believes Marcoleta is being unfairly targeted despite his role in exposing one of the country’s biggest plunder cases while chairing the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.
“Ang ipinagtataka namin ay kung bakit siya na nagsusulong sa pag-expose ng mga sangkot sa napakalaking pagnanakaw sa Pilipinas ang kakasuhan at ipakukulong sa halip na ang mga na-expose,” Zabala said.
The INC argued that filing a non-bailable plunder case would silence Marcoleta and prevent him from continuing investigations into corruption.
Zabala also questioned the basis of the charge, stressing that the ₱75 million Marcoleta admitted receiving came from campaign donors, not government funds.
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) had earlier ruled that no election offense was committed.
The rallies, held at EDSA and other sites, were framed as a call for “transparency, accountability, justice, and peace.” INC leaders said their mobilization was meant to show opposition to what they described as selective justice and to demand fairness in the application of the law.
