INC Members Causes Public Inconvenience, Mess

08/28/2015 | 11:13 0 Posted in Local Issues

Members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) who have been rallying in Padre in Faura Street, and part of EDSA are causing troubles to public, especially to motorists.

As of 9pm on Friday, the northbound road below the EDSA-Ortigas flyover is no longer passable for being occupied by the religious crowd.

In a text message as of closing time of government offices on Friday, Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista said the century-old religious denomination did not even apply to “hold a rally in any place” in the city.

Motorists are complaining about the protesters presence in busy road like EDSA. At Padre Faura, even patients and employees of Philippine General Hospital are experiencing extreme inconvenience because of the flock.

All elements of a street demonstration including banners are present in the INC mass action which started Thursday evening, August 27, in front of the Department of Justice (DOJ) in downtown Manila.
The INC members are calling government to keep its hands off religious matters, referring to an illegal detention complaint before the DOJ against INC leaders, among others.

Public Reaction

Since the beginning of rally, netizens are seriously condemning the irrational behavior of the INC members (who are not even aware of the real issues).

The public is asking the leadership of INC to face the criminal charges filed by Bro. Isaias Samson Jr., an expelled senior minister. Instead of facing the complaint through legal process, the INC council uses its innocent members by showing of force.

Malacañang Reaction

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma on Friday (August 28) countered claims that the government is taking an adversarial position against the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) a day after its followers staged a protest against the justice secretary.

“Government is not taking an adversarial position against the INC whose contributions to national development and demonstration of civic consciousness are duly acknowledged,” Coloma said.

Isaias Samson Camp Reaction

Atty. Trixie Cruz-Angeles , Samson’s lawyer, said those behind the rally “believe that a massing of people pressuring officials to rule in their favor is a strategy that gets them off the hook. They fail to see that they look like bullies at the gate demanding that the DOJ rule in a certain way—their way.

“They fail to see that they aren’t demanding justice. They are demanding special privileges. Particularly since their demand is made even before any investigation has commenced,” Angeles said.
“This so-called rally is no different. They do not seek justice. They seek silence, one that is achieved by gagging legitimate concerns,” she added.