Iglesia ends protest

What’s the deal? Everyone mum

MANILA, Philippines - The Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) ordered its members yesterday to clear roads they had blocked for four days in protest against an investigation into possible criminal acts by some of its top ministers.

With the public jubilation over the end of the horrendous traffic gridlocks caused by the rallies, however, came questions about the possible quid pro quo for the INC pullout. Malacañang insisted there was no “deal” struck.

The protest activities, which began outside the Department of Justice (DOJ) complex on Padre Faura street in Manila last Thursday and culminated on EDSA near Shaw Boulevard, sparked public outrage as they snarled traffic, disrupted services in many establishments including Sunday night mass at the EDSA Shrine, and left tons of garbage.

INC general minister Bienvenido Santiago, in an announcement aired over Net 25, said their camp had cleared matters with the government.

“This peaceful gathering that we started on Thursday afternoon will also end peacefully this Monday morning,” Santiago said in Filipino.

At Malacañang, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte clarified that “there was no deal struck, as some insinuate” with the religious sect.

“The talks gave both sides an opportunity to clarify issues and concerns,” she said.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II, whose office has jurisdiction over the Philippine National Police (PNP), also said there had been talks but did not provide details.

He appealed for calm as some groups with vested interests were reportedly preparing to exploit the situation. He canceled a scheduled press conference yesterday.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said a meeting with the President started around 8:30 p.m. Sunday night and ended a little past midnight.

Present in the meeting were Roxas, Valte, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., presidential political affairs consultant Ronald Llamas, PNP chief Director General Ricardo Marquez, Armed Forces chief Gen. Hernando Iriberri and other military, police and Cabinet officials. The meeting discussed “ongoing developments on the status of the INC rally at EDSA, and post expiration permit scenarios.”

Surprise development

Santiago’s announcement came as a surprise to thousands of INC members gathered in various locations across the country. They were preparing to join the protest against De Lima’s order for an investigation into a complaint of serious illegal detention filed by an expelled INC minister against some of the sect’s leaders.

The PNP estimated the number of protesters at 16,000 yesterday.

INC spokesman Edwil Zabala earlier said they were calling for the resignation of De Lima, whom they accused of giving preferential treatment to the non-bailable serious illegal detention complaint filed by expelled minister Isaias Samson Jr. against members of the Sanggunian, the administrative body of the INC.

Protesters also claimed De Lima’s action was a violation of the principle of separation of church and state.

The announcement of Santiago did not offer any information regarding the supposed deal between the government and the INC.

Zabala was unavailable for comment as he had lost his voice, according to his staff.

“As agreed, the illegal detention case will be transferred from DOJ’s control to the Quezon City Prosecutors Office (QCPO),” a source, who asked not be named, said.

On social media, netizens have voiced their concern over the unexpected turn of events. Many are calling on the administration to reveal the agreement with the INC.

Trixie Cruz-Angeles, lawyer for Samson, called on President Aquino and Roxas to be transparent on the discussions.

Human rights advocate Sister Cresencia Lucero of Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines said the need to untangle the traffic may have prompted Malacañang to dialogue with the INC.

“I think they (government) are looking at the effect (of the INC rally) on the Filipinos since the traffic is already very, very bad and then they would block the flow of traffic along EDSA, which is the main thoroughfare of the motorists, so it would be very difficult if they would let the protest drag on,” said Lucero.

March to Manila

The sudden end to the mobilization caught many INC members by surprise, with many of them still chanting, “walang uuwi” Sunday might.

Mandaluyong Mayor Benhur Abalos, at past 11 p.m. Sunday, asked the INC members to transfer to Manila, where they were granted a permit to rally until Sept. 4.

But Abalos allowed for humanitarian reasons those gathered in EDSA to stay until yesterday morning.

The move to Manila was supposed to be facilitated by the city government and police officials yesterday morning.

The mobilization would have come full circle, as it was in front of DOJ where they started the protests on Thursday.

They moved to EDSA on Friday despite the lack of permit from the Mandaluyong and Quezon governments. The permit to gather at EDSA Shaw until Sunday night was granted Saturday morning.

The Mandaluyong City government did not comment on protesters’ reneging on their promise to stay only at designated areas. The infraction caused horrendous traffic on EDSA last Sunday.

After the protest rallies on EDSA, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) hauled away trash that filled six large dump trucks.

Francis Martinez, head of the MMDA’s Metro Parkway Clearing Group, said the collected garbage consisted mainly of plastic food wrappers and other food containers.

Martinez said the MMDA deployed some 150 cleaners, including street sweepers, to clear up and sanitize the Crossing area, as well as the northbound and southbound lanes of EDSA near Shaw Boulevard.

Martinez said the MMDA also used chemicals and a flushing truck to remove the strong stench of urine in the area.

Generally peaceful

Despite the traffic chaos and public outrage, the protest actions by members of the INC were generally peaceful, according to the PNP.

PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor said no untoward incident was reported during the mass actions which culminated at the corner of EDSA and Shaw Blvd. in Mandaluyong City.

Mayor, however, said the PNP would investigate any complaint against the protesters.

Mayor added that the PNP would also coordinate with the INC leadership in dealing with any cases of infraction that any INC member may have committed.

“We will also inform the leaders of INC because they said they will also police their ranks as a religious organization with their own internal disciplinary mechanism,” the PNP spokesman said in a press briefing.

Last Saturday, unidentified men believed to be INC members attacked ABS-CBN cameraman Melchor Pinlac near the EDSA Shrine.

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC), for its part, said it treated 41 protesters who became ill.

Meanwhile, disgruntled INC members said their religious group appears to be breaking up.

Some defiant members have even turned to social media to express their discontent.

A certain Catherine Chua, in her Facebook post, slammed the leadership for “using the brethren to protect them from the charges filed by Ka (Isaias) Samson.”

Chua said she is embarrassed “that these people said that the charges should be filed in court but now that it was already filed they wanted to stop it.”

She also hit the church leaders for violating the doctrine of separation of church and state, saying the government has the right to investigate ‘anyone’ who has breached human rights.

A 62-year-old deacon in the Caloocan-Malabon-Navotas-Valenzuela (Camanava) area said “the brethren are now being awaked by these series of events and should open their eyes that some of its leaders are straying away from the church doctrines.”

“The messenger (Felix Manalo) had warned long ago that eventually the trials will come from within. This is a very scary situation. This could lead to the breakup of the church,” he said.

Some members not used to asking questions regarding decisions of the leadership are now trying to determine the veracity of news coming out, like what really happened to Ka Angel and his mother, he added.

Chua also criticized in her post church members who reportedly mauled a television cameraman who was covering their rally last Saturday.

“All of these reflect the bad side of the church which turns off non-believers,” said a 57-year old deaconess whose grandfather was among the first to be baptized in Caloocan.

An INC member who works as a reporter for a newspaper said that while he understands the sentiments of the members against the perceived bias of a TV reporter in covering the church controversies, the mauling of a fellow journalist who was just there to work was unacceptable. – Rey Galupo, Mike Frialde, Robertzon Ramirez, Non Alquitran, Evelyn Macairan, Aie Balagtas See, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Aurea Calica, Jaime Laude