STRONG MESSAGE' TO AQUINO
MANILA, MARCH 1, 2012
(INQUIRER) By Jeannette I. Andrade, Jocelyn R. Uy, Marlon Ramos -
In a show of force amid perceived tension with their once staunch ally President
Benigno Aquino III, some 600,000 members of the politically influential Iglesia
ni Cristo (INC) gathered for a prayer rally Tuesday at Rizal Park in Manila.
Tens of thousands of INC members also assembled in the provinces.
The 1.8-million-strong sect, based on a 2000 government census, is one of a
handful of religious groups courted by politicians of all stripes during
election campaigns for its massive block vote that gives it huge political
clout.
"The INC leadership and most of our members are displeased with how the
[administration] is treating some of our brethren," said the source, who asked
not to be named because he was not authorized to speak on behalf of the sect.
"It seems that this [administration] is only interested in exacting revenge
against its political opponents [instead of] bringing meaningful reforms for the
good of the Filipino people," he said.
Asked if the INC hierarchy would issue a statement against Mr. Aquino, he
said: "Do we really have to say the words? The number of INC members who trooped
to the event is enough indication of our position."
[PHOTO - POWER OF RELIGION]
Mr. Aquino's previously strong ties with the sect appear to have soured since
Chief Justice Renato Corona—who has indirect links to INC—was impeached in
December, stirring condemnation from the group.
But the President said the sect had assured him the rallies were purely
religious events leading up to the 100th anniversary of its founding next year.
"There are others who are saying that there is a political dimension here,"
he told reporters.
In an interview on national television, Bienvenido Santiago, INC general
evangelist and official spokesperson, said the activities were purely religious.
Corona invited
But an INC insider told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that the gathering was
a "show of force to deliver a strong message" to the Aquino administration.
Although he was invited, Corona decided not to attend the prayer rally so as
not to "politicize" the gathering, according to Supreme Court spokesperson Midas
Marquez.
Midas said Corona and the other justices of the Supreme Court were invited to
the rally but the Chief Justice decided to skip the gathering on the advice of
his close associates.
"We've been receiving a number of comments that he might use [the rally] for
political purposes," Marquez said. "Just the same, he extends his
congratulations to the Iglesia ni Cristo. I think all the justices were
invited."
Marquez said the Chief Justice decided to just watch the rally on television.
Support for judiciary
He said the invitation was a show of support for the entire judiciary.
"More than the Chief Justice, it's the institution which is being supported,"
Marquez told reporters before the start of the "Grand Evangelical Mission."
Led by Eduardo Manalo, grandson of the INC's late founder Felix Manalo, the
sect exerts huge political influence in the Philippines, home to more than 75
million Catholics.
While Mr. Aquino cannot stand for a second six-year term, the sect's block
vote can have an impact on the electoral success of his political allies in next
year's midterm congressional polls.
INC members had been leading rallies backing Corona, who could lose his job
if convicted in an ongoing Senate impeachment trial on charges of graft and
illegally favoring former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo. Arroyo is detained in a government hospital on a charge of
electoral sabotage.
Mr. Aquino also fired an INC member, Magtanggol Gatdula, as National Bureau
of Investigation chief last month after the official was accused of covering up
the abduction of a Japanese woman by his aides.
Marquez at rally
Accompanied by fellow court personnel, Marquez arrived at Manila Hotel more
than an hour before the start of the 5 p.m. prayer rally at nearby Quirino
Grandstand.
He and his group were met by prominent INC members, among them Gatdula and
Ferdinand Topacio, lawyer of former First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo.
Also in the group were Abraham Espejo, Gatdula's lawyer and the law school
dean of INC-owned New Era University, former Quezon City Representative Annie
Susano and Navotas Representative Toby Tiangco.
Marquez said he went to the event in deference to the personal invitation he
received from the INC a few days ago.
Gatdula said his presence at the prayer rally was part of his commitment as a
longtime INC member. Asked if he enjoyed the support of INC, Gatdula said: "Yes.
I think so."
Tiangco, who bolted the House majority after he refused to sign the
impeachment complaint against Corona, also downplayed allegations that the INC
event had a political dimension.
Spin
Except for a 20-year-old man, who allegedly tried to politicize the INC
gathering, the sect stuck to its promise of avoiding political discussions.
A few minutes before the rally began, INC spokesperson Santiago told
reporters in an interview that "the spin," if anything, had helped the sect draw
people to attend its "grand evangelical mission."
Santiago himself did not mention Corona's name or anything politically
related during the interview. He said the event was part of the church's 2012
mission to extensively spread God's words.
Maceda, Zubiri et al.
Among the politicians in attendance were former Senators Ernesto Maceda and
Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri, Laguna Governor Emilio Ramon "ER" Ejercito, Rizal
Governor Jun Ynares, Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, Pasay City Mayor
Antonio Calixto and Pangasinan Representative Gina de Venecia.
Only two key INC figures were allowed to speak in front of the crowd:
Reynaldo de los Reyes and Arnel Tumanan, assistant dean of the College of
Evangelical Ministry.
'Libelous' leaflets
Senior Superintendent Robert Po, Manila Police District (MPD) deputy director
for operations, said operatives of the MPD Ermita Station 5 arrested at around
12:30 p.m. Eduardo Villanueva, a computer encoder, of Parañaque City.
He was arrested after he started distributing "libelous" leaflets at the
entrance to the INC rally on Roxas Boulevard near the carabao statue.
"His leaflets carried antigovernment sentiments and his views on why (Supreme
Court Chief Justice Renato) Corona was being impeached," Po said.
Po told the Inquirer that the crowd in Rizal Park peaked at 600,000 between
5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.
"The estimate is already liberal because we included the entire park, not
only Quirino Grandstand," he said.
Po said the MPD crowd estimate at the grandstand, the elevated portion of the
528,833-square-meter park and the parade grounds, was 300,000.
Heavy traffic
Northbound traffic on South Superhighway and southbound traffic on North
Luzon Expressway crawled on Tuesday morning as INC members began to gather at
Rizal Park in Manila. Traffic was also heavy in other major streets of the
metropolis.
In San Pedro, Laguna province, Beth Picart said about 500 members from the
local INC church left the province on seven buses and a number of jeepneys at
around 8 a.m. to take part in the group's gathering in Manila.
A shortage of buses stranded INC members on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon
City, Alabang in Muntinlupa, and Calamba City. The Metropolitan Manila
Development Authority deployed vehicles to Quezon City and Muntinlupa to fetch
the stranded commuters.
With reports from Philip C. Tubeza, Nathaniel R. Melican
and Miko Morelos in Manila; Maricar Cinco, Inquirer Southern Luzon, and AFP
Marquez says INC rally show of support for
judiciary By Marlon Ramos Philippine Daily Inquirer 8:41 pm |
Tuesday, February 28th, 2012
MANILA, Philippines—The invitation of the Iglesia Ni Cristo for Chief
Justice Renato Corona and other justices of the Supreme Court to attend the
influential religious group's activity on Tuesday was a show of support for the
entire judiciary, according to Supreme Court spokesperson Jose Midas Marquez.
But Corona, who is facing an impeachment trial in the Senate, decided not to
show up at the INC gathering to avoid insinuations he was using the religious
event for his own personal interest, Marquez said.
Marquez, the concurrent Supreme Court administrator, said the Chief Justice
heeded the advice of his fellow magistrates and close friends to just watch the
event on television.
"More than the Chief Justice, it's the institution which is being supported,"
Marquez told reporters before the start of the INC's "Grand Evangelical
Mission."
"It's really the judiciary and the Supreme Court as an institution, more than
anything else. We welcome all the support since the Chief Justice is part of the
institution," he added.
Accompanied by fellow court personnel, Marquez arrived at the Manila Hotel
more than an hour before the start of the 5 p.m. prayer rally, billed as a
"grand evangelical mission" at the nearby Quirino Grandstand.
He and his group were met by prominent INC members, among them former
National Bureau of Investigation director Magtanggol Gatdula and Ferdinand
Topacio, lawyer of Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo.
Gatdula, a retired police director, was recently axed by President Benigno
Aquino after he was implicated in the alleged abduction of an undocumented
Japanese woman.
Also in the group were Abraham Espejo, Gatdula's lawyer and the law school
dean of the INC-owned New Era University, former Quezon City Representative
Annie Susano and Navotas Representative Toby Tiangco.
Topacio doused speculations that the event had something to do with Corona's
impeachment and the sacking of Gatdula.
"We are just doing our mission to spread the gospel of God as what the Bible
says. This is a just religious event," Topacio told reporters.
But an INC insider told the Inquirer that the gathering of the INC flock was
a "show of force to deliver a strong message" to the Aquino administration.
"The INC leadership and most of our members are displeased with how the
government was treating some of our brethren," the source said.
"It seems that this government is only interested in exacting revenge against
its political opponents than bring meaningful reforms for the good of the
Filipino people," he added.
Asked if the INC hierarchy would issue a statement against Aquino, he said:
"Do we really have to say the words? The number of INC members who trooped to
the event is enough indication of our position."
According to Marquez, he went to the event in deference to the personal
invitation he received from the INC a few days ago.
"I personally got an invitation that's why I'm here. I'm one with their
evangelical mission and I thank them for inviting me," he said in Filipino.
"I hope there will be no political insinuations. This is my first time to
attend a gathering like this."
For his part, Gatdula said his presence at the prayer rally was part of his
commitment as a long-time INC member.
"It's my responsibility to help spread the word of God. My faith gives me
strength," said the former NBI chief.
Asked if he enjoys the support of the INC, Gatdula said: "Yes. I think so."
Tiangco, who bolted from the House majority after he refused to sign the
impeachment complaint against Corona, also downplayed allegations that the INC
event had a political dimension.
"Let's not put any political color into it. This is just a prayer gathering,"
Tiangco said.
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS
ONLINE [PHNO] WEBSITE
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