Iglesia ni Cristo Rally Shifts to Manila After Quezon City Revokes Permit

By Mark Joseph M. Sanchez and Kaela Patricia B. Gabriel ABOUT 1,700 members of the Iglesia ni Cristo gathered at Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila on Thursday after the Quezon City government revoked the group’s permit to continue its rally near the EDSA People Power Monument, citing traffic disruption and public safety concerns. The religious group relocated the gathering after the Quezon City Department of Public Order and Safety withdrew its permit late on Wednesday. The rally, which began on June 30, was organized to support Senator Rodante D. Marcoleta, who is facing a looming plunder case over his alleged failure to declare about P75 million in campaign contributions. He has denied wrongdoing. Liwasang Bonifacio is a designated freedom park where public assemblies may be held without a permit, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” M. Domagoso said. “Liwasang Bonifacio is a freedom park, and like other organizations that wish to express their views publicly, groups may use [it] without securing a permit,” he said in Filipino in a Facebook livestream. The City of Manila suspended classes at all levels on Thursday ahead of the rally, while the Manila City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department was placed on red alert on Wednesday night to prepare for the gathering. The Bureau of Immigration also suspended operations at its Manila offices starting at 4 p.m. citing expected heavy traffic that could affect access to and from the city. In a July 1 memorandum, the Quezon City Department of Public Order and Safety said it revoked the group’s “no objection/rally permit” after determining that the demonstration had caused severe traffic congestion along EDSA and White Plains Avenue, disrupting public order and safety. The agency also said organizers violated their undertaking to remain along White Plains Avenue after participants occupied portions of EDSA. In a separate statement, it said the permit it issued covered only Wednesday’s gathering. It added that the rally caused significant disruption, with commuters delayed, employees and students arriving late or missing work and classes, and businesses adversely affected. Meanwhile, political coalition Makabayan questioned what it described as the selective implementation of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) “maximum tolerance” policy. “Maximum tolerance, as articulated by the PNP, seems to be applicable to certain groups only,” the coalition said in a statement. Makabayan noted that four of its members are scheduled to be arraigned on July 14 over alleged violations of the Public Assembly Act in connection with a Labor Day protest in Manila. The group said the demonstration was peaceful, participants coordinated with police officers and the program concluded along Kalaw Avenue. It added that it was not calling for similar charges against other groups but questioned what it described as inconsistent enforcement of public assembly rules. FLOOD CONTROL SCANDAL Meanwhile, minority Senator Alan Peter S. Cayetano said the plunder case against Mr. Marcoleta is intended to intimidate lawmakers pursuing the Senate’s investigation into multibillion-peso flood control anomalies. In a statement, he said the case was meant to divert public attention from the flood control probe and alleged that Mr. Marcoleta was not the only senator facing pressure. “There’s a bigger picture, which is the number in the Senate,” he said. “Whether we’re talking about the majority of the Senate, two-thirds in impeachment, or charter change, this has implications.” Mr. Cayetano said members of the minority bloc had been warned as early as Feb. 4 that charges would be filed against them if they assumed control of the Senate. The minority bloc had already expected more legal pressure from the administration after Senator Jose “Jinggoy” P. Ejercito Estrada, Jr. was detained, he said, noting that attempts to use cases against them started even before he became Senate president. Ombudsman Jesus Crispin C. Remulla announced on June 29 that Mr. Marcoleta would face plunder charges for failing to declare P75 million in campaign contributions. Speaking during the second day of the Iglesia ni Cristo rally on July 1, Mr. Marcoleta said the funds came from private supporters who contributed to his Senate campaign. “What they are accusing me of is assistance money for my campaign so that I would win as a senator,” he said. “My private and personal friends contributed their own money to me… and I did win.” Mr. Marcoleta described the case as fabricated. A day after the Ombudsman’s announcement, he said the charges were meant to prevent him from exposing the truth behind the flood control investigation and from participating in Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s impeachment trial, which opens on July 6.