DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 14 January) – The National Rally for Peace by the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) on Monday has not changed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s stance against efforts to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte.
Iglesia ni Cristo members during the “National Rally for Peace” in Davao City on Monday (13 January 2025). MindaNews photo by GREGORIO BUENO
“The President’s position on the impeachment move in the [House of Representatives] has not changed,” said Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin in a statement, reported through the government-owned People’s Television on Tuesday.
Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) claims their peace rally aims to echo Marcos Jr.’s call made on Nov. 30 last year to not impeach Duterte as it will not help the nation.
“What will happen if somebody files an impeachment? It will tie down the House, it will tie down the Senate. It will just take up all our time, and for what? For nothing, for nothing. None of this will help improve a single Filipino life,” Marcos said.
The nationwide prayer rally was held in 13 locations with millions of attendees from around the country. Outgoing Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Jean Fajardo said Tuesday that the bulk of the crowd, at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila, was estimated at more than 1.5 million.
Davao City Police Office (DCPO) spokesperson Hazel Caballero, meanwhile, said the final estimate was at 370,000 people from Davao Region and Southern Mindanao, with some from Bukidnon province.
In response to the prayer rally, the Dutertes expressed their gratitude to the Iglesia ni Cristo’s efforts to “unify” the nation.
Vice President Sara Duterte, in a recorded video message, said that the rally is a powerful demonstration of unity and faith aimed at fostering peace and progress in the country.
She particularly acknowledged the Iglesia ni Cristo leaders for their efforts in promoting “understanding and solidarity” among Filipinos.
“Sa gitna ng tumataas na presyo ng bilihin, kahirapan, at iba pang suliranin, ang isang mapayapa at nagkakaisang Pilipinas ay hindi kailanman matitinag, at paulit-ulit na aahon sa gitna ng hamon ng panahon (Amid rising prices of goods, poverty, and other challenges, a peaceful and united Philippines will never be shaken and will repeatedly rise above the trials of time),” Duterte said Monday evening.
Her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, said in a video released through the FPRRD supporters Facebook page that the country needs peace, and “not impeachment, no waste of government resources, not self-serving schemes, no divisive action.”
The Duterte patriarch’s election rival, former Civil Service Commission chair Karlo Nograles, son of former House Speaker Prospero Nograles, attended the prayer rally here, but went back door to meet with DCPO and Police Regional Office – Region 11 officials.
When asked what the purpose of Nograles’ visit was, Caballero said “she doesn’t know.”
However, in a Facebook post on Monday afternoon, Nograles said he was invited to be with them.
“[K]ita nagtuo nga ang makatambayayong ang kalinaw ug kalamboan (We believe that peace and progress go together),” Nograles said. (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)