INC rally may extend beyond 2 days: QC LGU

The Quezon City local government has shared that the Iglesia Ni Cristo rally at the People Power Monument may be extended for two more days. 

Organizers applied for a four-day rally permit at the end of their first day of protests on June 30, but according to head of Department of Public Order and Safety for the QC LGU Elmo San Diego, the first day was deemed "irrelevant" as they began without a permit. 

Before dawn of June 30, INC members converged at the People Power Monument ostensibly to call for action in the midst of widespread corruption allegations in the government. Their sheer numbers and their buses that were parked on EDSA, blocking the EDSA Busway, caused a traffic gridlock, prompting the Metro Manila Development Authority to close major roads around the area. 

By early Tuesday morning, head of Department of Public Order and Safety for the QC LGU Elmo San Diego, MMDA chief Nicolas Torre III, and National Capital Region Police Office regional director PBGen. Anthony Aberin all confirmed that the organizers did not secure the necessary permit to mount their protest. 

"'Yung request nila is four days simula kahapon plus three days. Irrelevant na 'yung kahapon kasi walang permit tapos nag-rally sila," San Diego told reporters on Wednesday. 

However, the QC LGU is holding off on allowing an extension of the rally, which is now on its second day fighting for "transparency and accountability."

"'Yung permit na binigay ng QC LGU, simula 8 a.m. [ngayong umaga] hanggang 8 p.m. mamayang gabi. 'Yung hiningi nila is three [more] days," San Diego said. "Tingin ko, hindi namin mabibigay nang dire-diretso o open-ended 'yung permit."

He said the local government will have to assess the rally's progress today, Wednesday, before deciding to grant an extension of the permit. Security and public safety will be the determining factors. 

"Kung tingin kong kaya pa namin i-secure, i-extend natin ['yung permit] kung kailangan," San Diego continued. "Kasi 'pag sobra naman ang dami't medyo may problema na sa security tsaka public safety, that's the reason na dapat putulin na muna natin tapos ituloy na lang kinabukasan. Hindi puwede tuloy-tuloy."

The LGU gave the INC organizers a rally permit only in the evening of their first day of protesting.

Reports by the Philippine National Police estimated the number of attendees at 12,000 around 11 a.m. on June 30, with 5,936 cops deployed. The QC Police District pegged the number at 15,500 at day's end. By 7 a.m. on July 1, police reported the estimated number of attendees was at 5,000, anticipating more to arrive as the day progressed. 

INC rally to support Marcoleta

INC members mounted their surprise rally to support Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, a prominent member of the church. The senator is being investigated for plunder connected to P75 million campaign funds he received as donations during his 2025 campaign for a Senate seat. 

On Monday, June 29, the Office of the Ombudsman announced it would be filing a plunder case against Marcoleta. The charge is non-bailable. According to the Ombudsman, by admitting to receiving the funds but not declaring them in his asset statements, Marcoleta opened himself up to plunder and bribery investigations. 

There is currently a hold departure order against him. 

However, according to the INC, the looming plunder charge twists the law. 

"Hindi tutol ang INC sa pagtutupad ng batas pero tutol kami sa pagbaluktot sa batas lalo na kung ang layunin ay para pagtakpan ang katiwalian," said INC spokesperson Bro. Edwil Zabala in a statement he read at the rally on Tuesday. 

"Gaya ng alam ng marami, si Sen. Rodante Marcoleta nanguna sa pag-imbestiga sa isa sa pinakamalaking pandarambong na naganap sa ating kasaysayan," he added, reminding the public that Marcoleta once served as chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. 

"Ang ipinagtataka namin ay kung bakit siya, na nagsusulong sa pag-expose ng mga sangkot sa napakalaking pagnanakaw sa Pilipinas, ang kakasuhan at ipakukulong sa halip na ang mga na-expose," Zabala said. 

Marcoleta: 'Ang kasamaan ay hindi magtatagumpay'

In a video posted on his Facebook early morning on June 30, Marcoleta condemned the "pattern" of attacks against him. 

"Nakikita po ninyo yung pattern sa mga nagdaang araw. Mas uunahin nila yung tao na nagmamalasakit sa inyo para palitawin natin ang katotohanan. Ngunit 'yung taong nasa likod ng lahat ng kasalanang ito ng pagnanakaw, hanggang ngayon ay wala pa silang ginagawang pag-uusig," Marcoleta said.

He mentioned the pending plunder and graft complaints against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez that the Ombudsman announced were being prepared in April 2026 in connection with Romualdez's alleged kickbacks from flood control projects.

Marcoleta added how former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, who was arrested for plunder also in connection to the flood control scam, is being eyed as a state witness. 

"Wala na po tayong kakampi. Ang kasalanan ko lamang 'yung paglingkuran kayo, kung kasalanan pong matatawag 'yan, na humarap sa kanila nang buong tapang para sa ganu'n ay malaman ninyo ang totoo," Marcoleta continued. 

"Ngunit kapag ako'y kanilang inaresto, hindi na po matutuloy 'yan," he added, saying "they" were also hoping that with his looming arrest, he would no longer be able to participate in the upcoming impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte, which is set to begin on July 6. 

Marcoleta also speculated that it seemed Sen. Ping Lacson had an idea of what was going to happen when Lacson warned about nine more senators being arrested and jailed some weeks ago.

"Alam kong gagawin nila ito. Alam kong aarestuhin nila ako. Alam kong ikukulong nila ako. Ngunit hindi po dahilan 'yan para tumigil ako sa paglilingkod sa inyo," he said. 

"Maliit na bagay po ang sakripisyo na aking haharapin kung ang katumbas nito'y maipakita natin ang kahalagahan ninyo bilang mamayan ng ating bansa," he continued. 

The senator accused the Ombudsman of spearheading the campaign against Marcoleta. He recalled a colleague in the Senate supposedly saying, "Sometimes we have to bend the law," to which the Ombudsman allegedly agreed.

"Huwag po tayong pumayag na ganu'n ang mangyari," Marcoleta said. 

"Naniniwala po ako na kahit sa anong laban, lalo na 'yung laban na para sa interes ng ating bansa, kinakasihan tayo ng ating Panginoong Diyos," he added. "Kailanman ang kasamaan ay hindi magtatagumpay."