SCHOOLS and government offices will close, and thousands of police will be deployed on Monday to oversee a planned “million-strong” rally by Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) opposing calls to unseat Vice President Sara Duterte, officials said.
The security preparations were announced on Friday ahead of the “national rally for peace” by the conservative INC, which said last month said it opposed moves in the House of Representatives to impeach Duterte.
The powerful religious group, which is estimated to have more than 2 million members, has considerable clout in a country that is 80 percent Catholic.
SETTING THE STAGE Workers prepare the stage at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila on Jan. 11, 2025, for the peace rally that will be held by the Iglesia ni Cristo on Jan. 13 in support of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s call not to pursue the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority closed at least nine roads in the city in anticipation of the ‘massive’ crowd expected to attend the event. Marcos has ordered the suspension of classes and government work in Manila and Pasay as a result of the rally. PHOTO BY RENE H DILAN
Three impeachment complaints have been filed in the past two months against Duterte, a former ally of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.; she is also being investigated over an alleged plot to have him assassinated.
The Manila Times tried to reach the complainants and lawmakers who endorsed their impeachment complaints, but no one responded to a request for comments on the INC rally.
The INC announced on its television network last month that it opposed calls for the impeachment of Duterte, the daughter of former leader Rodrigo Duterte, who is widely expected to run for president in 2028.
Members of the group are required to vote for political candidates who have been blessed by its leaders, making it a valuable political bloc.
Iglesia’s official spokesman declined to comment when contacted on Friday.
Government offices and schools in the capital will be closed on Monday “to allow for the organized conduct of the event,” Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin announced in a written order on Friday.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority plans to close major roads in the capital for the rally.
“We anticipate 1 million attendees coming from different provinces” to be bussed in for the rally using “thousands” of vehicles, the government agency’s director Romando Artes told a news conference.
Philippine National Police chief Rommel Marbil said on Friday that he would deploy 2,500 police officers to keep the peace during the Manila rally.
Similar rallies are planned on the same day in 13 other provincial centers, Marbil said in an interview on Manila radio station DWPM.
The impeachment complaints accuse Duterte of misusing millions of dollars in state funds and of plotting to have Marcos killed. She has denied the allegations.
The House has yet to table any of the complaints for discussion ahead of the May 12 midterm elections, in which the Iglesia voting bloc could decide the outcome of closely contested congressional and local government posts.
Workers prepare the stage at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila on Jan. 11, 2025 for the peace rally that will be held by the Iglesia ni Cristo on Jan. 13 in support of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s call not to pursue the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) closed at least nine roads in the city in anticipation of the ‘massive’ crowd that is expected to attend the event. Marcos has ordered the suspension of classes and government work in Manila and Pasay as a result of the rally. PHOTOS BY RENE H. DILAN
Workers prepare the stage at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila on Jan. 11, 2025 for the peace rally that will be held by the Iglesia ni Cristo on Jan. 13 in support of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s call not to pursue the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) closed at least nine roads in the city in anticipation of the ‘massive’ crowd that is expected to attend the event. Marcos has ordered the suspension of classes and government work in Manila and Pasay as a result of the rally. PHOTOS BY RENE H. DILAN
Workers prepare the stage at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila on Jan. 11, 2025 for the peace rally that will be held by the Iglesia ni Cristo on Jan. 13 in support of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s call not to pursue the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) closed at least nine roads in the city in anticipation of the ‘massive’ crowd that is expected to attend the event. Marcos has ordered the suspension of classes and government work in Manila and Pasay as a result of the rally. PHOTOS BY RENE H. DILAN
Workers prepare the stage at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila on Jan. 11, 2025 for the peace rally that will be held by the Iglesia ni Cristo on Jan. 13 in support of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s call not to pursue the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) closed at least nine roads in the city in anticipation of the ‘massive’ crowd that is expected to attend the event. Marcos has ordered the suspension of classes and government work in Manila and Pasay as a result of the rally. PHOTOS BY RENE H. DILAN
Workers prepare the stage at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila on Jan. 11, 2025 for the peace rally that will be held by the Iglesia ni Cristo on Jan. 13 in support of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s call not to pursue the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) closed at least nine roads in the city in anticipation of the ‘massive’ crowd that is expected to attend the event. Marcos has ordered the suspension of classes and government work in Manila and Pasay as a result of the rally. PHOTOS BY RENE H. DILAN
The May polls are seen as a key test for the Duterte and Marcos families, the country’s two most influential political clans, ahead of an expected battle for the presidency in 2028.
Marcos has urged the House not to pursue an impeachment effort, which he said would serve no purpose but to distract the government from its development agenda.
The Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), led by detained preacher Apollo Quiboloy, expressed support for the INC rally, saying its members would be “praying for peace and unity.”
Quiboloy, who has been charged with human trafficking, is a staunch ally of the Dutertes.
Nine roads around the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta, Manila, will be closed to traffic on Jan. 13 for the INC rally.
In a traffic advisory, the City of Manila said roads to be closed from 4 a.m. onwards on Monday are:
– Katigbak Drive and South Drive
– Independence Road
– North- and southbound lanes of Roxas Boulevard from Katigbak Drive to UN Avenue
– North- and southbound lanes of Bonifacio Drive from Katigbak Drive to Anda Circle
– P. Burgos Avenue from Victoria Street to Roxas Boulevard
– Ma. Orosa Street from P. Burgos Avenue to UN Avenue
– Finance Road from P. Burgos Avenue to Taft Avenue
– Gen. Luna Roundtable
– Kalaw Avenue from Taft Avenue to Roxas Boulevard.
The city government also advised the re-routing of vehicles.
– Vehicles coming from the southbound lane of Roxas Boulevard, A. Mabini Street and Ma. Orosa Street, intending to use Kalaw Avenue, will turn right to UN Avenue to the destination point.
– All trucks and trailers traversing the northbound lane of Osmeña Highway going to Mel Lopez Boulevard (Pier Area) will turn right to President Quirino Avenue to Mabini Bridge to the destination point.
– Vehicles from Ayala Boulevard intending to use Finance Road straight to P. Burgos Avenue will turn left to Taft Avenue to the destination point.
– Vehicles from the Jones Bridge, Mac Arthur Bridge and Quezon Bridge intending to use P. Burgos Avenue, going to Roxas Boulevard, shall take Lagusnilad straight to Taft Avenue to the destination point.
– Vehicles from Sta. Lucia Street to Muralla Street, intending to use the Gen. Luna Roundtable, will go straight to Muralla Street to the destination point.
– Vehicles from Mel Lopez Boulevard intending to use Bonifacio Drive will take Anda Circle, then turn right to Soriano Avenue to the destination point.
– All trailer trucks and heavy vehicles from Mel Lopez Boulevard (R-10) going to Roxas Boulevard will turn left to Capulong Street, straight to Yuseco Street to Lacson Avenue to the destination point (old truck route).
For those who will attend the gathering, the city government also provided parking areas — two lanes on the inner side of Roxas Boulevard from UN Avenue to P. Ocampo Street and two lanes on the inner side of Mel Lopez Boulevard from Anda Circle to NLEx Connector City limit.
Malacañang has suspended work in government offices and classes at all school levels in Manila and Pasay City for the rally.
Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna, meanwhile, said it was up to private-sector employers if they would suspend work in their respective offices on this day. with AFP, ARIC JOHN SY CUA, PNA
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