FACT CHECK: Iglesia ni Cristo EDSA rally drew thousands, not millions, of participants

Claims circulating on social media that "millions" participated in recent rallies organized by the influential Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) have been debunked as false by fact-checkers. Rappler Philippines' investigation confirmed that actual attendance numbers were in the thousands. The claims pertain to a series of gatherings held by the INC in support of Senator Rodante Marcoleta, who is facing plunder charges over alleged undeclared campaign donations. The INC has criticized the administration's "selective justice," defending the senator. The rallies, held without permits, caused significant traffic disruptions along major thoroughfares like EDSA in Metro Manila. An INC spokesperson stated that it was perplexing why Marcoleta, who is pushing to expose massive corruption in the Philippines, was being charged, and reiterated the INC's call for transparency, accountability, justice, and peace. However, according to police figures, the rally in Quezon City on June 30 saw a peak attendance of over 15,000 people. On July 1, an estimated 10,000 attendees were present, and the rally in Manila on July 2 had around 8,200 participants. These figures fall far short of the "millions" claimed. Senator Marcoleta declared a net worth of P51 million but spent P112 million during his 2025 senatorial campaign, and later disclosed receiving P75 million in campaign donations. He argued that the donations were received before the campaign period began. This fact-check highlights concerns about disinformation and the exaggeration of crowd sizes, particularly in political contexts. Such tactics are not uncommon in the Philippines when politicians or religious groups organize large-scale gatherings. Source: Rappler Philippines