EDSA to remain open to traffic despite Iglesia ni Cristo rally

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas on Saturday assured motorists that the part of EDSA where members of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) are holding their rally would remain open to vehicular traffic.

At a press conference before noon on Saturday, Roxas said the northbound and southbound lanes of the EDSA underpass at the Shaw Boulevard intersection would remain open despite the crowd of protesters in the area.

He added that the eastbound and westbound overpass connecting the cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig would also remain open.

"Labing pitong milyon ang mga kababayaan sa NCR at itong mga kalye, arteries na ito ay kailangang manatiling bukas. Kumbaga kung sa kalusugan ng tao, kung magkaroon ng blockage [dito], konek-konektado na po iyan," he said.

"Baka magka-heart attack o stroke kaya kailangan manatiling bukas ang main arteries na ito."

Also, he said, "Ang layunin kung bakit kami nagpulong ngayon [Saturday], sinisiguro ang kapakanan ng lahat, yung traffic at pangalawa, ang kaligtasan ng kapatiran ng Iglesia Ni Cristo habang sila ay nagkakaroon ng activity."

Roxas' assurance came after members of Iglesia ni Cristo trooped to EDSA on Friday night, causing a massive traffic jam there.

"Hindi maiiwasan na kahapon pay day, may sale, maulan kaya talagang ma-traffic. Kaya ngayon palang pinaplano na, na pananatiling bukas ang traffic habang kinikilala natin  ang kapangyarihan at karapatan ng ibang mga grupo," he said.

'Misinformation caused traffic'

Meanwhile, in a phone interview with GMA News Online, Mandaluyong City mayor Benhur Abalos said he is in communication with Iglesia Ni Cristo's Eraño "Erdz" Cordera.

Abalos quoted Cordera as blaming the misinformation among the INC members for the heavy traffic on Friday.

"He (Cordera) said na baka may nag-sabotage sa kanila kasi nagkaroon ng misinformation, nagkalituhan, may mga nagte-text na pumunta sa Megamall, 'yung iba sa EDSA Shrine," he said.

"Dahil kalat-kalat sila kagabi, naisipan naming bigyan sila ng permit, to contain them at the EDSA corner Shaw Boulevard, kasi mayroon doong underpass, which they must not block," he added.

"Natanggal naman ang congestion dito," he said.

Earlier, a report on GMA News TV's News TV Live quoted INC spokesperson Brother Edwil Zabala as saying there are more Church members joining the rally on Sunday.

Asked if the EDSA corner Shaw Boulevard could accommodate the volume of people expected to come in on Sunday, Abalos just said as long as they do not block the entry ways of the underpass, they could remain in the area.

"In good faith naman, alam ko naman na mababait sila, may commitment from them that they will not block the area," he said.

Earlier, Mandaluyong public information officer Jimmy Isidro said they have given permission to the INC members to hold their protest rally at the EDSA-Shaw Boulevard area until Sunday.

Talks with officials

Iglesia ni Cristo members' mass action began at the Department of Justice (DOJ) headquarters in Manila on Thursday against what they considered as Justice Secretary Leila de Lima's "meddling in INC's internal affairs."

The DOJ is looking into charges filed by former INC minister Isaias Samson Jr. against the religious group's officials for allegedly detaining and harassing him and his family—an accusation denied by the Iglesia's leadership.

But on Friday afternoon the protesters in Manila marched to to EDSA to meet other members at the EDSA-Shaw intersection.

Asked if the government is having talks with INC officials, Roxas said: "Mayroong mga pag-uusap na iba't ibang levels at hindi pwede isapubliko kasi pag-uusap ang mga ito."

For his part, Zabala also declined to give information about the talks with government officials.

He, however, said that as citizens they have the right to freedom of assembly to air their grievances.

"Ginagamit namin ang aming karapatan upang payapang magtipon at ihayag ang aming hinaing at humingi ng pantay na pagpapatupad ng mga batas mula kay Kalihim de Lima," he said in a text message to GMA News Online.

"At dahil may panahon naman pala siya, at hindi karaniwang interes sa Iglesia Ni Cristo, ay hinihiling din namin kay Secretary de Lima na asikasuhin na niya ang hinaing ng mga naulila ng SAF 44, dahil dalawa roon ay kapatid namin," he added.

De Lima earlier claimed she was just doing her job in ordering an investigation on a complaint brought before the Justice Department. — LBG, GMA News