Without prior notice to authorities and without any rally permit, tens of thousands of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) members descended on EDSA near the People Power Monument in Quezon City in the early hours of Tuesday, June 30, in a mass demonstration expressing solidarity with Senator Rodante Marcoleta, who faces a non-bailable plunder charge before the Sandiganbayan. The unannounced gathering triggered widespread road closures, severe traffic gridlock, and the arrest of multiple protesters after a tense standoff with police.
Crowd Reaches 10,000 Within Hours
According to the Quezon City Police District, an estimated 7,000 demonstrators had already assembled at the People Power Monument by 6:45 in the morning. Numbers continued to climb rapidly — to roughly 9,000 by 9 a.m. — before the Philippine National Police (PNP) recorded a crowd of approximately 10,000 along White Plains Avenue by 10 a.m. An additional nearly 1,000 INC members were separately gathered at the EDSA Shrine in Ortigas and at Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila, the PNP reported.
Authorities Given Only Hours' Notice
Police officials acknowledged they were caught flat-footed by the speed and scale of the mobilization. National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Maj. Gen. Anthony Aberin disclosed that law enforcement received intelligence about the planned demonstration only around midnight — just hours before the crowd began arriving at approximately 4 a.m.
"Around 12 midnight, we received information about it, and we immediately prepared for deployment. We were able to deploy personnel as early as 3 a.m.; however, a large number of them arrived quickly and their numbers were overwhelming," Aberin said in Filipino, as quoted in reports.
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Don Artes also confirmed that neither the MMDA nor Quezon City police had received any coordination from the INC ahead of the rally. "Sa amin po sa MMDA, wala pong pasabi, walang coordination," Artes stated. The PNP initially deployed around 900 officers, but that number eventually swelled to nearly 6,000 NCRPO personnel stationed along EDSA throughout the morning. PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. personally monitored the operation, while the Department of the Interior and Local Government instructed officers to exercise maximum tolerance.
INC Demands Justice, Decries Selective Prosecution
The INC publicly confirmed the rally was organized in support of Marcoleta, whom the church identified as one of its members. In a livestream on Net 25, INC spokesperson Bro. Edwil Zabala said the church was calling for "transparency, accountability, justice, and peace," and criticized what it characterized as "selective justice" being applied against Marcoleta.
"The Iglesia ni Cristo supports what Senator Marcoleta stands for because it is also our position. We call for transparency, accountability, justice, and peace," Zabala said in Filipino.
Zabala argued further that the plunder case was designed to silence Marcoleta by keeping him detained throughout the trial, since the charge is non-bailable. The INC also pointed to a Commission on Elections ruling that reportedly found no violation in Marcoleta's acceptance of the campaign donations that lie at the heart of the case.
Ombudsman Files P75-Million Plunder Case
The Office of the Ombudsman, headed by Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, announced on Monday, June 29, that it would formally file the non-bailable plunder case against Marcoleta before the Sandiganbayan. The charges stem from P75 million in campaign donations. Former lawmaker Mike Defensor and donors Aristotle Viray and Joseph Espiritu were named as co-accused in the complaint.
State prosecutors argued that the donations exceeded the P50-million threshold for plunder as defined under Republic Act No. 7080, and that the funds were not properly declared in Marcoleta's statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN). Marcoleta has firmly denied any wrongdoing, insisting the donations were private funds that had already been disbursed for election-related purposes before his SALN was submitted.
On the day of the rally, Marcoleta alleged the timing of the case was deliberate — intended to prevent him from taking part in Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial, which is scheduled to begin on July 6. "Another thing they are hoping for is that I will no longer be able to participate in the impeachment proceedings scheduled to begin next week. In other words, they are hitting two birds with one stone," Marcoleta said.
Buses Diverted, Arrests Made During Confrontation
Tensions flared around 8:30 a.m. when demonstrators moved buses to obstruct the northbound lanes of EDSA, including the EDSA Carousel busway. Several protesters were subsequently arrested, with some reportedly having punched police officers during the confrontation. A journalist from the Inquirer who was present at the scene witnessed at least three arrests before 9 a.m. As of midday, authorities had not yet released a total arrest count or indicated what charges would be filed.
Traffic Disruptions, Road Closures Follow
The MMDA closed White Plains Avenue and multiple EDSA segments in both Quezon City and Mandaluyong, and deployed towing units to clear illegally parked vehicles contributing to the gridlock. The Department of Transportation confirmed that EDSA Busway stations and MRT-3 continued to operate throughout the disruption.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. cancelled at least two official engagements — a marine litter management event and a scheduled luncheon with foreign correspondents — in order to monitor the evolving situation. Malacañang said the President was keeping close watch on the welfare of commuters and workers stranded by the mass action.
AFP Backs PNP Operations, Cites Right to Assembly
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said its NCR-based units were actively coordinating with the PNP and other government agencies to monitor developments. AFP Public Affairs Office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad stressed in a statement that the military upholds the constitutional right to peaceful assembly, but emphasized that all public gatherings must comply with existing laws and permit requirements. The AFP described its institutional role as one of maintaining peace, public safety, and the stability of democratic institutions, with the PNP taking the lead on public order management.
By the Numbers
- 7,000 — Estimated crowd at the People Power Monument by 6:45 a.m., per the Quezon City Police District
- 9,000 — Estimated number of protesters by 9 a.m.
- 10,000 — PNP's crowd estimate along White Plains Avenue by 10 a.m.
- ~1,000 — Additional INC members gathered at the EDSA Shrine in Ortigas and Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila
- ~6,000 — Total NCRPO personnel deployed along EDSA by midmorning
- P75 million — Value of campaign donations at the center of the plunder complaint
- P50 million — Statutory plunder threshold under Republic Act No. 7080
- July 6 — Scheduled start date of Vice President Sara Duterte's Senate impeachment trial
Why This Matters
The surprise mobilization laid bare the INC's formidable capacity to deploy massive numbers of members on extremely short notice, bypassing standard permit and coordination processes while effectively paralyzing key sections of Metro Manila's main thoroughfare. The rally is directly entangled with two of the country's most politically charged proceedings: a non-bailable plunder case filed by the Ombudsman and an imminent Senate impeachment trial that Marcoleta himself claims the case was designed to keep him away from. The resulting arrests, allegations of physical assaults on police officers, and widespread traffic disruption elevate the event beyond a mere demonstration, raising serious questions about accountability, due process, and the boundaries of the right to assembly.
Source: Inquirer.net