Manila: Thousands of people belonging to a politically influential non-Catholic Christian group, the Church of Christ (INC), occupied and rendered impassable two blocks of the historic Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) — in reaction to the justice department’s entertainment of an ousted religious leader’s complaint about alleged illegal detention last July.
”We are one,” some 3,000 INC protesters chanted as they massed on Saturday on two blocks of EDSA where three major malls, Robinson, SM, and Shangri-La are located. They chanted countdowns, and warned of bigger protest rallies at EDSA until Monday. Some placards read: “Justice (for) INC; We won’t be on the street now had the Iglesia been left alone!”
“The INC has no other purpose but to underscore its religious freedom and right to protect itself from oppression or any form of curtailing its freedom by the government or by those in government,” said INC spokesperson Edwil Zabala, adding the INC protesters were not calling for the resignation of Justice Leila de Lima who accepted last Tuesday the complaint filed by expelled INC minister Isaias Samson Jr., - he complained that he was coerced, detained, harassed, and threatened by top INC leaders last July.
Samson, former editor-in-chief of the INC’s official publication was suspected by INC leaders as Antonio Ebangelista, a critic who posted online stories about the abduction of other INC ministers who were against the INC council’s financial decisions in 2014; and the division of a third generation family that founded INC.
“The INC leaders who illegally detained Isias Samson are now behind EDSA’s occupation. They are using church members as human shields against the law. They know that illegal detention is a serious crime which carries jail time. That’s the reason for INC’s show of force at EDSA,” Samson’s lawyer Trixie Angeles told Gulf News.
The public collision of INC’s divided forces is holding hostage President Benigno Aquino whose candidates need INC’s one million registered block voters in the 2016 polls, said analysts.
“We can hold our own people power,” an INC protester who gave his family name as Enriquez told Gulf News.
Aquino’s aunt Margarita Cojuangco, wife of former Congressman Jose Cojuangco, the brother of former president Corazon Aquino, was at INC’s EDSA rally. A faction of the Cojuangco family and the Aquino family are supporting the 2016 presidential candidacy of Vice President Jejomar Binay who belongs to the opposition.
Hoping to contain the INC’s protest rally, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Supt. Joel Pagdilao said the government activated a security plan prepared for massive demonstrations.
“Policemen were ordered to exercise maximum tolerance, preserve peace, ensure the safety of protesters and passers-by, and prevent opportunists from taking advantage of the situation for personal ends,” said Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, the ruling Liberal Party’s presidential candidate in 2016.
“The government does not wish to interfere in the internal affairs of any legitimate organisation,” assured Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma.
Explaining the implication of two INC forces publicly at war, Antonio La Viña, dean of the Ateneo School of Governance said, “It’s a show of force and a warning to politicians about their loyalties and alliances.” Prospero de Vera of the University of the Philippines added, “Other politicians are wary because INC has a reputation about its number.
