Approximately 14,000 members of the influential religious group Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) staged a surprise protest in Manila, paralyzing the city's main thoroughfare for a second day. The demonstration began on Tuesday, June 30, and continued into Wednesday, July 1, disrupting traffic across Metro Manila as protesters used buses and vans to block lanes on EDSA.
The rally is primarily in support of Senator Rodante Marcoleta, a Duterte ally, after the Office of the Ombudsman announced plans to file a plunder case against him. The case stems from alleged undeclared campaign donations totaling $75 million received during the 2025 elections. Marcoleta has denied wrongdoing, asserting the charges are politically motivated to silence him and prevent his participation in the impending impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, which is set to begin next week.
The protest has intensified political tensions, with the government condemning the disruption and warning of economic impact, while Vice President Sara Duterte, whom the INC also supported in the 2022 elections alongside President Marcos Jr., has backed the rally, accusing the current leadership of weaponizing the justice system. President Marcos Jr. canceled his morning engagements on Tuesday to monitor the situation and ordered maximum tolerance, though a Palace official stated that the administration respects rights to assembly but not abuses committed under their guise. Security personnel, estimated at around 6,500, were deployed to the protest areas, and while MRT-3 and EDSA Busway operations remained uninterrupted, the sheer volume of protesters and their methods caused massive traffic gridlock.
Historically known for bloc voting, the INC's support for Marcoleta contrasts with its earlier "anti-corruption rallies" in November 2025. Critics point out that Marcoleta himself admitted to receiving the $75 million in donations. Political analysts suggest this rally is a "crucible test" for both the INC and the Marcos administration, with some speculating that the INC aims to pressure the government to drop or delay Marcoleta's case, while others believe the Ombudsman will remain steadfast. The Quezon City government initially granted a permit for Wednesday only, despite INC requesting a four-day permit, and urged compliance with permit terms.
