Iglesia chokes Edsa, then gets permit for 2nd day
An unannounced rally by thousands of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) members supporting embattled Sen. Rodante Marcoleta crippled traffic along Metro Manila’s main thoroughfare on Tuesday, as authorities allowed the permitless protest to continue for hours before the Quezon City government approved a permit for a second day of demonstrations.
The surprise mobilization, centered near the People Power Monument along Edsa, forced the closure of major roads during the morning rush hour, stranded thousands of commuters and motorists, triggered clashes between protesters and police, and prompted questions over the enforcement of laws requiring permits for public assemblies.
Late Tuesday, the Quezon City government granted organizers permission to continue the rally from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday along White Plains Avenue, hours after officials acknowledged that Tuesday’s protest had proceeded without the permit required under Batas Pambansa Blg. 880, or the Public Assembly Act.
By 4 p.m., the Philippine National Police placed the crowd at 14,100, including 13,500 gathered along White Plains Avenue and the northbound lanes of Edsa and another 600 across Connecticut Street on the southbound side. Smaller assemblies were also monitored near Edsa Shrine and at Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) closed portions of Edsa northbound, the Ortigas flyover in both directions, White Plains Avenue and adjoining service roads after buses transporting rally participants blocked traffic lanes, bringing traffic in eastern Metro Manila to a near standstill.
MMDA General Manager Nicolas Torre III said organizers neither coordinated with the agency nor secured the permits required before staging the demonstration.
“There is absolutely no coordination, and this rally has no permit,” Torre said.
Questions over police response
Despite the absence of permits required under Batas Pambansa Blg. 880, or the Public Assembly Act, authorities allowed the gathering to continue while police negotiated with organizers instead of dispersing the crowd.
As Tuesday’s rally continued, the Quezon City government granted organizers a permit to hold another assembly on Wednesday.
A copy of the permit issued by the city’s Department of Public Order and Safety authorized the rally along White Plains Avenue from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on July 1.
The permit stated that organizers must strictly observe the approved time and venue, warning that holding the rally elsewhere would constitute a prohibited act under the Public Assembly Act and could result in legal action.
It also directed organizers to ensure that the activity would not interfere with security measures being implemented by the Quezon City Police District and the city’s law and order cluster, or unduly obstruct the normal flow of traffic.
Earlier Tuesday, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Maj. Gen. Anthony Aberin acknowledged that authorities had monitored plans for the gathering but said it remained uncertain how long the protest would continue.
“We still cannot determine how long the gathering will last,” Aberin told reporters.
No preferential treatment?
NCRPO spokesperson Maj. Hazel Asilo said police had no immediate plans to disperse the protesters, explaining that discussions among the PNP, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and INC leaders were continuing.
“For now, their continued stay along Edsa will depend on the outcome of those discussions,” Asilo said.
She rejected accusations that authorities were extending preferential treatment to the influential religious organization, saying that forcibly dispersing thousands of demonstrators could have triggered greater disorder.
Police officials maintained they were exercising “maximum tolerance” while balancing public order with the constitutional right to peaceful assembly.
The PNP, however, stressed that compliance with laws governing public assemblies “must be consistent.”
“The exercise of any right comes with the responsibility to observe the law,” the PNP said in a statement. “Respect for the rule of law must be consistent. No advocacy, no matter how strongly held, places any individual or group beyond the reach of laws that apply equally to all.”
Nevertheless, public criticism mounted throughout the day as motorists remained trapped in gridlock while authorities appeared reluctant to clear blocked highways despite acknowledging that the gathering initially lacked a permit.
4 arrested, 3 officers hurt
Tensions briefly flared on Tuesday morning after buses transporting rally participants blocked the Edsa northbound lanes and the Edsa Carousel bus lane, prompting police to move in and remove the vehicles.
At least four individuals were arrested, including a bus driver accused of hitting a police officer with his vehicle and another protester allegedly punching an officer during the confrontation. Police said three officers were injured, while investigators were considering charges, including direct assault, against those arrested.
The PNP simultaneously placed all regional offices and national support units on full alert as INC gatherings were monitored in several parts of Metro Manila.
Police denied allegations that their response had been “soft,” saying more than 2,100 officers had been deployed around the rally sites and that security operations were intended to prevent violence while respecting the right to peaceful assembly.
PNP public information chief Col. Allen Rae Co said authorities were “exhausting all means” to end the protest peacefully while studying possible violations of the Public Assembly Act.
Marcoleta case
The INC said the rally was organized to express support for Marcoleta after the Office of the Ombudsman announced it would file plunder and indirect bribery charges against the senator before the Sandiganbayan.
The Ombudsman accused Marcoleta of failing to declare P75 million in campaign contributions received during the 2025 senatorial elections.
Although Marcoleta reported zero campaign contributions in his statement of contributions and expenditures, he later acknowledged in a television interview receiving P75 million from three donors before the official campaign period. Prosecutors contend the undeclared funds, together with his status as a sitting congressman at the time, form the basis of the plunder and indirect bribery charges.
Marcoleta has denied wrongdoing, maintaining that the donations were received before the official campaign period and therefore were not covered by election laws.
Hours before Tuesday’s demonstration, the INC issued a statement expressing support for the senator.
Among those seen at the rally were former congressman Mike Defensor, Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste and Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.
INC’s political muscle
Tuesday’s mobilization added another chapter to the Iglesia ni Cristo’s history of large-scale political demonstrations.
In 2012, thousands of INC members gathered outside the Supreme Court during the impeachment trial of then Chief Justice Renato Corona despite the absence of rally permits. Weeks later, an estimated 600,000 members assembled at Rizal Park in what was widely viewed as a show of political strength amid tensions with the administration of then President Benigno Aquino III.
In 2015, the church mounted five-day protests outside the Department of Justice and later at Edsa Shrine to oppose the government’s investigation into complaints filed by expelled ministers against INC leaders.
The organization again demonstrated its nationwide mobilization capability in January 2025 when it staged the National Rally for Peace supporting President Marcos’ opposition to impeachment efforts against Vice President Sara Duterte, drawing an estimated 1.8 million participants nationwide, according to the PNP.
In November 2025, about 650,000 INC members gathered at Rizal Park to demand transparency and accountability amid allegations of corruption involving the government’s flood control program. —WITH REPORTS FROM ISABELLE PECHAY, KEITH CLORES AND INQUIRER RESEARCH
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